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Jagged Edge Productions and ITN Studios, the makers of Winnie-The-Pooh: Blood and Honey 1 & 2, are expanding their public domain-fueled horror enterprise into The Twisted Childhood Universe.
The slate will feature previously announced stand-alone films Bambi: The Reckoning, Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare and Pinocchio Unstrung and introduce new characters such as Sleeping Beauty, The Mad Hatter and Rabbit from Winnie-The-Pooh: Blood and Honey. All of these characters will culminate in the upcoming film Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble in 2025.
“It will be complete carnage. We are heavily influenced by Freddy vs. Jason and The Avengers,” said Jagged Edge Producer Rhys Frake-Waterfield. “We would love to see a horror movie where the villains group together and are going after their survivors. We have some incredible set pieces in mind and some sequences I think will truly shock people. The movies we are working on now as standalones are all building towards Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble.”
Scott Chambers, Producer of Jagged Edge, adds, “Similar to The Avengers we will follow Pooh, Tigger, Rabbit, Owl, Piglet, Pinocchio, Sleeping Beauty, Bambi, The Mad Hatter, Peter Pan and Tinkerbell joining forces to wreak havoc. We are working with a larger scale budget on this one and are excited for what the future will hold. When you see the stand alone movies you will see the easter eggs hinting toward the crossover. Some of the villains also will not see eye to eye, which will allow for some carnage within the group in some epic sequence of monster vs. monster.”
Frake-Waterfield is set to direct the mash-up movie. Casting is to include Scott Chambers returning as Christopher Robin, Megan Plactio as Wendy Darling, Roxanne Mckee as Xana and Lewis Santer as Tigger. More casting announcements to come. Stuart Alson and Nicole Holland serve as executive producers. Poohniverse: Monsters Assembleis a Jagged Edge Production with ITN Studios and Premiere Entertainment handling sales.
The latest film from ITN Studios & Jagged Edge Productions, Winnie-The-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2, hits theaters March 26, 27 & 28 from Fathom Events. Tickets can be purchased online at Fathom Events or at participating theater box offices. The end credits will feature an exclusive first look at the Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble.
Academy Award-winning animation distributor GKIDS announced today it has acquired the North American distribution rights to the entire film catalog of award-winning director Mamoru Hosoda, internationally renowned for critically acclaimed animated feature films such as The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Wolf Children. GKIDS previously released the Academy Award- and Golden Globe-nominated Mirai(2018) and the critically lauded Belle(2021), which became Hosoda’s highest grossing film to date in North America. Both films made their respective world premieres at the Cannes Film Festival.
Hosoda’s six features have all been nominated for, and five have been awarded, the Japan Academy Prize for “Animation of the Year.” Hosoda remains the only Japanese animation director outside of the famed Studio Ghibli to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature. The director’s work is produced by Studio Chizu, whose catalog is represented internationally by Charades, and the new deal was negotiated between Eric Beckman at GKIDS and Yohann Comte and Carole Baraton at Charades on behalf of Studio Chizu.
Summer Wars and Wolf Children will enter GKIDS’ catalog immediately, while The Boy and the Beast and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time will enter the catalog next year. With this deal, GKIDS is committed to expanding the reach and furthering the brand of Studio Chizu and director Hosoda by bringing these titles to the North American audience in renewed ways. As a start, the films will receive new theatrical and home entertainment releases highlighting Hosoda’s unique artistry, with further details to come.
“One of GKIDS’ earliest distribution projects was the theatrical release of Summer Wars, when Mamoru Hosoda had already cemented his position as one of the most exciting animation directors,” said GKIDS’ President David Jesteadt. “We were honored to deepen our relationship with the release of his two latest films, Mirai and Belle, and are excited to now be able to showcase the full breadth of Hosoda’s ambitious storytelling across his film catalog, featuring some of the most acclaimed and successful Japanese animated films of all time.”
Marvel fans and LEGO enthusiasts, assemble! Today, LEGO Marvel Avengers: Code Red is available for fans to watch globally on the Marvel HQ YouTube Channel. Originally released on Disney+, this premium 44-minute special follows Marvel super heroes in an action-packed adventure as they come to life in LEGO brick form.
Synopsis: The Avengers assemble to save New York City, but after an argument between Black Widow and her father Red Guardian about his parenting style, he disappears under mysterious circumstances. As the Avengers investigate, they discover that the villainous Collector is kidnapping every character who has the word “red” in their name. Determined to find her father, it’s up to Black Widow now to lead the Avengers to find the Collector’s evil lair and free the prisoners from his evil clutches.
LEGO Marvel Avengers: Code Red features a super cast of actors voicing the heroes, including Haley Joel Osment, Will Friedle, Laura Bailey, Trevor Devall, Steve Blum and James Mathis III.
Fans can also look out for full-length episodes of Marvel’s Avengers Assemble, kicking off with new episodes daily beginning March 21-28 on Marvel HQ. New episodes of the series will release on “Thor’s Days” (Thursday) through 2025.
In this series led by Iron Man, Marvel’s mightiest heroes — Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye, Falcon and Black Widow — combine their power to battle threats no single hero could withstand. When the Avengers assemble, evil doesn’t stand a chance!
The Marvel HQ YouTube channel hosts hundreds of hours of family-friendly content, including full-length episodes from Marvel’s most popular animated series, original shorts, motion comics, kid-friendly explainers, animation livestreams, and more! Since launching in 2017, the Marvel HQ YouTube channel recently crossed 2 million subscribers.
Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and Dr. Seuss Enterprises have locked in an all-star comedic cast for their upcoming feature film The Cat in the Hat, which will debut in theaters globally on March 6, 2026.
The cast, led by Bill Hader (Barry) as The Cat, includes Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary), Bowen Yang (SNL), Xochitl Gomez (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), Matt Berry (What We Do in the Shadows) and Paula Pell (Girls5eva).
Synopsis: In the wonderfully whimsical tradition of Dr. Seuss, The Cat in the Hat comes to the big screen in his animated theatrical feature film debut, doing what he does best — spreading joy to “happyless” kids. In the film, The Cat takes on his toughest assignment yet … to cheer a pair of siblings struggling with their move to a new town.
The film is being written and directed by Alessandro Carloni (Kung Fu Panda 3) and Erica Rivinoja (writer/executive producer, Clone High [2023]; screenplay, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm) with Daniela Mazzucato and Jared Stern producing. Susan Brandt and Bill Hader will executive produce. DNEG Animation (Ron’s Gone Wrong, Entergalactic, Nimona, upcoming The Garfield Movie) will be the animation studio partner.
Xochitl Gomez [ph: Carlos Eric Lopez]
Bowen Yang [ph: Mary Ellen Matthews]
Matt Berry [ph: Bryan Bedder]
Paula Pell [ph: Scott Treadway]
All headshots provided by Warner Bros. Pictures.
“We are overjoyed to partner with our friends at Dr. Seuss to take audiences of all ages on an adventure into the beloved world of The Cat in the Hat,” said Bill Damaschke, President of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation. “With this incredible voice cast led by Bill Hader as the fun-loving, agent of chaos himself and our filmmakers Alessandro and Erica at the helm, we look forward to sharing this Seussian cinematic spectacle with audiences everywhere in 2026!”
Susan Brandt, President & CEO of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, commented, “We are excited to see such an exceptional group of talent join the effort to bring this iconic property to the screen as an animated feature. It’s been an amazing experience collaborating with the team from Warner Bros. Pictures Animation so far, as they truly understand what it takes to capture the magic of The Cat in the Hat and share his brand of imagination and joy with a new generation of Dr. Seuss fans.”
The fun-loving cat and his iconic red-and-white striped hat first captured the imaginations of youngsters with the whimsical Dr. Seuss book in 1957. The Cat in the Hat will be the first animated feature to debut as part of a slate of animated projects that Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and Dr. Seuss Enterprises are developing together that builds out an extensive Dr. Seuss animated universe.
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ original musical-comedy Wishwill stream on Disney+ beginning April 3, welcoming subscribers to the magical kingdom of Rosas, where Asha, a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force — a little ball of boundless energy called Star.
In the Golden Globe-nominated movie, Asha and Star confront a most formidable foe — the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico — to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen.
Featuring the voices of Academy Award-winning actor Ariana DeBose as Asha, Chris Pine as Magnifico and Alan Tudyk as Asha’s favorite goat, Valentino, the film is helmed by Oscar-winning director Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn, and produced by Peter Del Vecho and Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster Jones. Wish is written by Jennifer Lee and Allison Moore, with original songs by Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice, and original score by composer Dave Metzger.
Apple TV+ today revealed the trailer for the new season of FraggleRock: Back to the Rock. All 13 episodes of Season 2 will premiere globally on the streamer Friday, March 29, joining the full first season as well as the Night of the Lights holiday special and the original 1980s FraggleRock series, plus recently added bonus specials Down at FraggleRock, Doozer Music and Fraggle Songs.
Synopsis: Jim Henson’s fun-loving and musical Fraggles — Gobo, Red, Boober, Mokey, Wembley and Uncle Travelling Matt, appearing alongside new Fraggles and Doozers voiced by special guest stars including Academy Award winner Ariana DeBose, Emmy Award winner Brett Goldstein, Emmy Award winner Catherine O’Hara, Tony and Grammy Award winner and Emmy Award nominee Daveed Diggs, Grammy nominee Adam Lambert and K-pop group aespa — are back with more epic, fun and zany adventures, this time with big changes affecting the Rock.
The Fraggles, Doozers and Gorgs will be forced to confront their past and celebrate their interdependence as they move through challenges together with hope, silliness, and brand-new songs, all while dancing their cares away … down at FraggleRock.
FraggleRock: Back to the Rock is executive produced by The Jim Henson Company’s Lisa Henson, Halle Stanford and John Tartaglia, along with Matt Fusfeld and Alex Cuthbertson. Co-executive producers are Dave Goelz and Karen Prell, and executive music producer is Harvey Mason Jr. The new season is produced by Chris Plourde and co-produced by Tim O’Brien. The series is produced in association with New Regency, with Arnon Milchan and Yariv Milchan executive producing.
In addition to FraggleRock: Back to the Rock, Apple’s partnership with The Jim Henson Company includes Harriet The Spy, the first animated adaptation of Louise Fitzhugh’s children’s novel; Slumberkins, the mixed-media puppet/2D animation program from the children’s emotional learning brand; and the FraggleRock: Rock On! shorts.
DreamWorks Animation’s franchise flick Kung Fu Panda 4 held on to its opening weekend momentum, retaining the No. 1 box office spot domestically for the second week in a row with $30 million (-48%) from 4,067 screens (+32). The animated family pic squeaked ahead of Legendary/Warner Bros.’ Dune Part Two ($29.1M) once again. In total, the fourth adventure for the Dragon Warrior has hit $107.7M domestically as of Sunday.
Internationally, Po the Panda has a wider gap to close with Dune Part Two, which has crossed $500M. Kung Fu Panda 4 continues to expand, netting $39.6M overseas, bringing its global total to $176.5M. On top of preview screenings in China, which generated $8.8M ahead of the film’s March 22 wide release, KFP4 continued to set records in new markets:
Mexico ($13.6M)
Spain ($5.1M)
Germany ($4.2M) — Second-best opening of the year; 2x the KFP3 opening.
Indonesia ($3.8M)
Vietnam ($3.7M) — Following the biggest-ever animated debut in the country, KFP4 has already overtaken Frozen 2, Elemental, Despicable Me 3, Secret Life of Pets and other comparable titles.
India ($1.5M) — 8th biggest Hollywood animated movie opening, 3rd biggest DreamWorks Animation launch; 2nd biggest opening of the franchise.
Kung Fu Panda 4 is rolling out a staggered release, coming to Brazil, Italy and China this week, then France, Australia, the U.K. and Korea.
The scrappy super heroes of DC’s Teen Titans team are suiting up for a live-action feature film mission. The project announced Friday will be produced by DC Studios, part of Warner Bros. Discovery, with Ana Nogueira (upcoming Supergirl: World of Tomorrow) attached to write the screenplay.
Introduce to the DC comics universe in the mid-1960s, the young world-savers didn’t hit their stride until they were relaunched in the 1980s by Marv Wolfman and George Perez. The new lineup, led by Robin/Nightwing, brought in Beast Boy and fresh creations Cyborg, Raven and Starfire. The New Teen Titans became DC’s top-selling title, fueling the team through several refreshes over the years.
While the Teen Titans have appeared in multiple DC Animated Movie Universe and TV titles, including the self-titled 2003 series and the smash hit comedy-actioner Teen Titans Go! (2013) on Cartoon Network, the next gen squad has had less momentum in live action. A movie was announced as in development in 2007, but writer Akiva Goldsman later announced he was instead developing the Titans live-action series, which launched on DC Universe in 2018 and moved to Max in 2021. In 2015, netizens heard that a Cyborg-led concept and a Teen Titans movie featuring an all-female hero troupe were in development.
No plot, lineup or additional key creatives were announced for this latest project.
In celebration of all things comics, sci-fi, horror, cartoons and general genre entertainment geekery, WonderCon returns to the Anaheim Convention Center in Southern California from Friday, March 29 to Sunday, March 31. Comic-Con San Diego’s more manageably-sized sibling event nevertheless has plenty to pack your schedule if you love all things animation.
Panel and presentations not to be missed include anniversary celebrations for The Iron Giant and Gargoyles; deep dives into The Dragon Prince, Smiling Friends and the upcoming The War of the Rohirrim; spotlights on animation and VFX talents, writing for animation and voice directing; and much more.
There are also screening opportunities thanks to the Los Angeles International Children’s Film Festival, featuring animation, live action and documentary projects as well as filmmaker talks (multiple programs throughout the weekend, details here), a new batch of restored Fleischer Cartoons on Sunday and the Animation Show of Shows, which this year presented a kid-friendly focus on Friday.
A dynamic group of movers and shakers engage in a spirited conversation about the ever-evolving global animation scene, driven by cutting-edge technologies and the transformation of the animation business landscape. Moderated by ASIFA-Hollywood’s VP Brooke Keesling, panelists include Mark Caballero (SpongeBob SquarePants, Robot Chicken: Star Wars), Miranda Dressler (Krapopolis, Bob’s Burgers), Alonso Ramirez Ramos (Mickey Mouse, Steven Universe: The Movie) and Dave Thomas (Wander Over Yonder, Kid Cosmic).
4:30-5:30 p.m. | North 200A | Robotech: Past Prologue
Robotech burst onto the scene in 1985 and helped usher in the age of modern anime fandom in North America. Since then, a lot has changed and fans have questions. Harmony Gold offers a presentation addressing the future of the franchise, including information about the series in HD, the impact of Sony’s acquisition of Crunchyroll, the new Robotech: Rick Hunter comics series, and more.
5-6 p.m. | Room 300A | FX Breakdown: The Artists Who Build Universes
Award-winning special and visual effects artists with decades of experience talk about the FX that blew you away, from the films and TV shows you love! Moderated by Geoffrey Mark (The Orville, Raised by Wolves), with Jim Davidson (Titanic, Terminator 2), Ian Hunter (Interstellar, Inception), Tom Griep (Independence Day, Armageddon), Chris Simmons (iRobot, Independence Day) and Chris Colquhoun (Galaxy Quest, Van Helsing).
5:30-6:30 p.m. | North 200A | 25 Years of Iron Giant: A Fan Appreciation
Brad Bird’s animated classic is beloved by fans around the world and still holds true today. Join this unforgettable film’s cast, crew and those lucky enough to be part of its history as they discuss why it has been able to capture the hearts of fans around the world for 25 years.
7-8 p.m. | Room 213CD | Writing for TV Animation: Myths and Realities
Craig Miller (The Real Ghostbusters, Beast Wars) leads a panel of experienced animation writers, including Charlotte Fullerton (My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, Ben 10: Omniverse), Robert N. Skir (X-Men: The Animated Series, Batman: The Animated Series) and Henry Gilroy (Star Wars: Rebels, G.I. Joe: Renegades), who will answer your questions.
Smiling Friends
Saturday, March 30
11 a.m.-12 p.m. | North 200A | The Dragon Prince: Blood and Stardust
The cast and crew of the Emmy–winning series screen and discuss the first episode of the upcoming Season 6, including never-before-seen footage. Fair warning: it is intense. The show’s themes are maturing, so children should not attend without a parent, guardian or a cool older friend. With Racquel Belmonte (voice actor, Claudia), Aaron Ehasz (co-creator), Justin Richmond (co-creator), Devon Giehl (lead writer) and Villads Spangsberg (executive producer).
2-3 p.m. | North 200A | Adult Swim’s Smiling Friends
Get ready for the return of Pim, Charlie and the rest of the gang dedicated to bringing happiness to their bizarre and colorful world in the second season of Smiling Friends. Series co-creators and stars Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel give a special look at the new season of the weirdly warm and oddly relatable workplace comedy that could only exist on Adult Swim.
2-3 p.m. | Room 213CD | The Animation Guild: A-to-Z of Action Animation
The artists, writers, and producers of The Animation Guild, Local 839, host a panel on the ins and outs of action animation. The panel includes Vinton Heuck (Transformers: Prime, Harley Quinn), Colleen Evanson (DuckTales, DC Super Hero Girls), Mairghread Scott (Dragon Age: Absolution, Guardians of the Galaxy), Angela Entzminger (My Adventures with Superman, unannounced LEGO Adventure Series), Gavin Hignight (Gundam: Requiem For Vengeance, Tekken: Bloodline) and Ben Juwono (Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Big Hero 6: The Series). Moderated by Dan Salgarolo (Transformers: Cyberverse, Transformers: Robots in Disguise).
6-7 p.m. | Room 300E | Monsters of Adult Animation
Discover the unconventional creative geniuses behind the scenes bringing adult cartoons such as Big Mouth, Blood of Zeus, BoJack Horseman, Little Demon, Rick and Morty, South Park and more to life. Moderated by Bento Box talent recruiter Brooke Keesling, panelists will include Mike Hollingsworth, Monica Mitchell, Charley Parlapanides, Vlas Parlapanides, Alex Salyer and Amy Winfrey.
Gargoyles
Sunday, March 31
11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. | North 200A | 30 Years of Gargoyles
Gargoyles, an animated series that mixed mythology, complex themes and Shakespearean storylines, instantly attracted viewers of all ages in its first season. Though betrayed by the very ones they have sworn to protect, Goliath, his family, and Eliza taught impressionable minds about trust and understanding the other side. A cartoon that stood out from its peers at the time, it spawned comics, video games, and a newly announced live-action reboot. Cast, crew, writers and others will discuss how Gargoyles has inspired fan conventions and why it’s been consistently named one of the best animated series for three decades.
12-1 p.m. | Room 211 | Fleischer Cartoons: The Art & Inventions of Max Fleischer
Fleischer Cartoons is back at WonderCon with a block of brand new 4K restorations of Koko the Clown, Betty Boop, Popeye, Superman and more from the legendary Fleischer Studios. Learn about the history and influence of this classic animation studio!
12:15-1:15 p.m. | North 200A | Dispatches from Middle-earth: The War of the Rohirrim
Join TheOneRing.net (TORn), to get the latest news about all things Middle-earth in 2024. Staff members Kristi Fojtik (founder, Tolkien Forever), Clifford Broadway (host, TORn Tuesday), Nicole Roberts (TORn outreach coordinator), Nancy Steinman (TORn designer and writer) and Cathy Udovch (TORn special events coordinator) will talk about new games set in Middle-earth and new books about Tolkien. They’ll share their thoughts, and any Greendragon gossip they have, on what to expect from season 2 of Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
But the really big next thing on the horizon is the Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim feature-length animated film, coming in December. Panelists will discuss the voice cast and probable storylines and share any images and rumors they have. Wear your Middle-earth costume at the panel, and then 45 minutes after the end of the panel everyone can gather at the fountain for a group Middle-earth cosplay. Moderated by Justin Sewell (producer, TORn Tuesday).
1-2 p.m. | Room 207 | The Art of Voice Directing
Fans know and love the voice actors responsible for playing their favorite characters, but just as important are the voice directors. Carrie Keranen (Neon Genesis Evangelion), Meredith Layne (Invincible) and Kristi Reed (The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy) are stepping out of the booth to discuss their craft in this panel moderated by journalist Taimur Dar (The Beat).
1:30-2:30 p.m. | 213AB | Character Design Journey with Stephen Silver
Stephen Silver (Kim Possible, Danny Phantom, Clerks: The Animated Series) shares what it takes to be a character designer in the animation industry and the steps he took to make it happen.
Today, for the first time since 2020 — the start of the COVID-19 pandemic — WIA Scholarship winners were announced in person as part of the 2024 BRIC Talent and Innovation Summit. WIA’s Chair of Education, Hsiang Chin Moe, announced the 42 recipients from all over the world — the largest group to receive cash awards and honorable mentions to date.
“The WIA Scholarship Program holds special significance for me, as its impact extends far beyond financial assistance,” Hsiang said. “It is a recognition that emerging talent will carry with them as they progress in their careers. The support from all our sponsors strengthens our mission to promote accessibility and brighten the future for aspiring artists. Most importantly, I eagerly anticipate witnessing the future accomplishments of all the recipients, as we strive to help out more students worldwide through the various programs offered by WIA.”
The WIA Scholarship Program is an annual award committed to furthering deserving students who demonstrate artistic talent, a passion for animation, a financial need and a promising future in animation, VFX or gaming. WIA student members were encouraged to apply, no matter in what region of the world they are academically pursuing their animation career interests.
The scholarship pool totals $29,000 and also features workshops, tutoring opportunities, animation equipment and software packages for recipients of the 2024 cycle from industry partners Animation Focus, Animation Mentor, ArtStation, Foundry, LAIKA, Toon Boom, Wacom, WIA Bay Area Chapter, WIA Montreal Chapter and YellowBrick Learning.
“We are excited to be back in person at the BRIC Summit for the WIA Scholarship presentations,” Marge Dean, WIA president, said. “During my time as WIA president, I have seen firsthand how our WIA Scholarship program has had a positive impact on the lives of future generations of creatives in our industry. I am immensely proud of its growth and eager to see the remarkable contributions these talented students will make to our industry.”
(L-R) WIA’s Chair of Education, Hsiang Chin Moe; Amarise DeFranco, a student at California Institute for the Arts; and Program manager Kate Menz.
Out of 189 applications from 76 schools across the US and Puerto Rico as well as Bulgaria, Canada, India, Ireland, Philippines, South Africa, the United Kingdom and Vietnam during the 2023-2024 program, the WIA scholarship committee selected 17 students as most deserving of scholarships, in addition to 25 students as honorable mentions. The scholarship recipients are (in alphabetical order):
Minha Aamir – Sheridan College
Amarise DeFranco – California Institute of the Arts
Emy Galustyan – California Institute of the Arts
Dina Garatly – University of Southern California
Julieta Herrera-De Anda – Woodbury University
Lyly Hoang – California Institute of the Arts
Rebecca Huang – School of Visual Arts
Julianne Li – Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning
Lin Jin – Ringling College of Art and Design
Elizabeth Michelle Albin Marakasherry – School of Visual Arts
Maria Jaramillo – California Institute of the Arts
Erika Salazar Gutierrez – California Institute of the Arts
Aaron Sams – School of Visual Arts
Ivy Tan – California Institute of the Arts
Jaime Tran – Academy of Art University
Taylor Yingshi – Columbia University
Ashley Love Yumull – De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde
The scholarship winners’ full bios and website links can be found on the WIA scholarship page.
“I feel insurmountable gratitude, pride, and appreciation in being chosen for the WIA scholarship,” said Amarise DeFranco, a student at CalArts. “Receiving recognition from this organization in such a matter is only further reassuring me that there are people out there who genuinely care for the passions of artists and that I am worthy enough to receive knowledge that’ll prepare me for a professional career in the animation industry.”
Yumull, who attends De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde in Manila, Philippines, echoed the sentiment: “I didn’t expect to be chosen to receive a scholarship from an international organization, so it felt surreal and shocking when I saw the email. Being one of the chosen recipients of this scholarship means a lot to me and my family who are currently struggling financially to keep up with my college’s tuition for me to continue my studies in the animation field, so I also felt very grateful and motivated to continue pursuing my dreams as an animator!”
Beyond those students who received cash scholarships, WIA also announced 25 Honorable Mention Winners who were awarded software and/or workshop packages to boost their animation skills.
Toon Boom — supporting the WIA Scholarship Program for the fourth year in a row — will provide both software and scholarship funds. They have provided 20 one-year bundled licenses of Storyboard Pro and Harmony Premium were awarded to finalists as well as virtual training.
ArtStation returns as a supporter providing 25 one-year ArtStation Pro upgrades.
Animation Focus provides online animation tutoring on a one-to-one basis with a professional feature film character animator — one hour per week for four weeks. One WIA scholarship recipient will receive a place in one 2024 Animation Focus class.
Animation Mentor offered one WIA Animation Scholarship winner a six-week workshop and will award the choice of several courses including Maya Workshop: Animation Basics, Game Animation Fundamentals,and Cartoony Animation for 3D Animators.
Foundry will award $2,500 in scholarship funds together with an annual subscription Production Collective license to its suite of products, including Nuke Studio, Katana, Mari and Modo.
LAIKA will again be giving out two cash awards, up to $2,000 to two deserving students who specialize in stop motion. LAIKA hopes to take this opportunity to foster future talent that shares the same passion for stop-motion filmmaking.
Wacom is donating 10 Cintiq Pro 16s, because they understand the importance of having professional-level technology, as it will set the talent apart for both freelancing work and their creative portfolios making them more hirable in the animation industry.
YellowBrick Learning once again has generously provided three awardees their choice of one Yellowbrick online course for each winner, a $1,000 per class value, totaling $3,000 for the WIA Scholarship program.
While the feature film category skipped over animated nominees Lightyear (Pixar) and Strange World (Disney) — going to Universal’s Bros — animation braving new frontiers of queer representation was still part of the 34th GLAAD Media Awards celebration last night. The awards recognize and honor media for fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBTQ community and the issues that affect their lives.
“The Mint Gala” Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City (Netflix)
Pinecone & Pony (Apple TV+)
Outstanding Kids & Family Programming – Animated
Amphibia (Disney Channel)
Battle Kitty (Netflix)
Big Nate (Nickelodeon)
Craig of the Creek (Cartoon Network)
Dead End: Paranormal Park (Netflix) – WINNER
The Dragon Prince (Netflix)
Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous (Netflix)
The Owl House (Disney Channel)
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+)
Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! (Cartoon Network)
In addition, Max’s Harley Quinn was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series (FX’s What We Do in the Shows won). The GLAAD Media Awards also cover video games and comic books/graphic novels. See all the nominees and winners at glaad.org.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
This week also marks the 55th NAACP Image Awards, which will be celebrated with a two-hour live TV special on Saturday, March 16 on BET and CBS. These honors celebrate Black excellence across film, television, music and more. (Full list available at naacpimageawards.net.)
Among the talents and projects deemed exceptional for the Animation, Motion Picture and Short Form categories, the multi-award-winning, broadly acclaimed Sony Pictures Animation/Marvel sequel Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was awarded Outstanding Animated Motion Picture. Also recognized were:
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder Season 2 (Disney+) — Outstanding Animated Series
Lil’ Ruby — Outstanding Short Form (Animated)
Doggyland (YouTube) — Outstanding Short Form Series (Comedy or Drama)
Gracie’s Corner (YouTube) — Outstanding Children’s Program
Kyla Pratt, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+) — Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)
Issa Rae, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Sony) — Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance in a Motion Picture
Now that the award season is officially over, we can devote our attention to what’s coming up in the new animation festival season: Just today, Annecy Festival announced the 67 lucky titles selected to screen at the massive event this year. The 2024 edition’s widely eclectic and inspiring collection features shorts from talented artists all over the world, including Belgium, Finland, France, Hungary, Iran, Germany, Japan, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, S. Korea, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, the U.K. and the U.S.
According to the officials, more than 1,500 films from a hundred countries were submitted for consideration. This year’s Official Selection jury included Artistic Director Marcel Jean, Laurent Million, Yves Nougarède and Sébastien Sperer as well as Cecile Giraud (project manager for Nouvelle-Aquitaine Independent Cinemas), Marie-Pauline Mollaret (journalist and film critic), Maud Ahmadnia (screenwriter), Gala Frecon (VR, Film programmer), Isabelle Vanini (exec director of the French Association of Animation).
Maybe Elephants by Torril Kove
The selection breakdown is as follows:
31 shorts in the Official Selection
12 titles in the Off Limits category
16 shorts in the Perspectives sidebar
8 selected in the Young Audiences group
Tennis, Oranges by Sean Pecknold
The official Graduation Films and TV & Commissioned Films lineup will be announced in two weeks, followed by the VR works revealed in mid-April and the feature films at the end of April. The Annecy Festival runs June 9 to 15, 2024, with the final awards ceremony is planned for June 15. You can get the full list of this year’s selected shorts here.
Here is the list of the 31 titles selected for the Official Competition lineup:
[S] by Mario Radev (U.K.)
Abzi by Shiva Sadegh Asadi (Iran)
Beautiful Men by Nicolas Keppens (Belgium, France, Netherlands)
Circle by Yumi Joung (South Korea)
Dar Saaye Sarv by Hossein Molayemi, Shirin Sohani (Iran)
Drizzle in Johnson by Ivan Li (Canada)
Etorriko da (eta zure begiak izango ditu) by Izibene Oñederra
Flower Show by Elli Vourinen (Finland)
Free the Chickens by Matus Vizar (Slovakia, Czech Republic)
Gina Kamentsky’s Pinocchio in 70MM by Gina Kamentsky (U.S.)
Hurikán by Jan Saska (Czech Republic, France, Bosnia and Herzegovnia)
In Perpetuum by Birute Sodeikaite (Canada)
Joko by Izabella Plucinska (Poland)
Kaminhu by Marie Vieillevie (France)
Kanskje det var elefanter (Maybe Elephants) by Torill Kove (Norway, Canada)
Kawauso by Akihito Izuhara (Japan)
La Voix des Sirènes by Gianluigi Toccafondo (France)
Le Tableau by Michele Lemieux) (Canada)
Margarethe 89 by Lucas Malbrun (France)
Miserable Miracle by Ryo Orikasa (France, Canada, Japan)
Mont Noir by Jean-Baptiste Peltier, Erika Haglund (France, Portugal)
Moral Support by Vuk Jevremovic (Germany)
Papillon by Florence Miailhe (France)
Percebes by Alexandra Ramires, Laura GonÇalves (Portugal, France)
Plus Douce Est la Nuit by Fabienne Wagenaar (France)
Portret Konia by Witold Giersz (Poland)
Preoperational Model by Philip Ullman (Netherlands)
Retour à Hairy Hill (Return to Hairy Hill) by Daniel Gies (Canada)
Shoes and Hooves by Viktoria Traub (Hungary)
Tennis, Oranges by Sean Pecknold (U.S.)
The Car that Came Back from the Sea (Jadwiga Kowalska (Switzerland)
Daniel Gies’ “Retour a Hairy Hill” (Return to Hairy Hill)Dar Sayye Sarv (In the Shadow of the Cypress) byOriginal
WEBTOON revealed today a brand new key visual for the upcoming second season of Tower of God. Additionally, Japanese voice cast members been announced.
Yuma Uchida (Jujutsu Kaisen, Blue Lock, Delicious Party PreCure) will voice Ja Wangnan, the man determined to take on every challenge the tower has to offer and become king of the tower.
“A group of eccentric characters and a difficult path to the top of the tower. Even as their thoughts collide, they never stop aiming for the top. I was a little nervous joining the production team for season 2, but the relief the friendly atmosphere brought was only temporary… The story features some challenging developments. Every week I brace myself for recording. Watch as the characters pursue their goals in a harsh world”
— Yuma Uchida
Taichi Ichikawa will be returning as the voice of last season’s protagonist Bam, as well as the mysterious Jyu Viole Grace.
“Thank you for waiting, fans! In season 2, I will be playing Jyu Viole Grace. It’s been roughly five years since we recorded season one, and this season is set six years after the shocking finale of season one. It feels like fate. Where is Bam? What happened to Rachel and the others? And who is Viole?! All these questions will be gradually answered over the course of the story. Burdened with an important mission, how will Viole change after meeting Ja Wangnan and the others?! I especially like the Workshop Battle arc, so I’m very excited! Fans can expect some thrilling developments in season two!”
— Taichi Ichikawa
Joining Viole on his adventure through the tower is Sayumi Watabe (After the Rain, Major 2nd, Build Divide) as Yeon Yihwa.
“Yeon Yihwa is proud of being elite. Her pride changes over the course of the story, but in many ways, she is quite awkward… With every recording session, I love her more and more. Performing this role has been a lot of fun. Through the combined efforts of the captivating original work, the production staff, and all the cast, season two is finally starting. I hope fans are looking forward to seeing the continuation of the story. Let’s climb the tower together!”
— Sayumi Watabe
Additionally, Saori Hayami returns as Rachel.
“Season 2 of Tower of God is finally starting! I’m glad to be able to participate in recording again. There were some tumultuous moments in season one, but… I hope fans are looking forward to seeing how the story plays out this time. For those new to Tower of God, there will be a rebroadcast of season one, so I hope they take this opportunity to get to know the series!”
— Saori Hayami
The four main voice cast members will join a talk event held at the Bandai Namco Group booth at AnimeJapan 2024 on March 23 at 14:20-14:50 (JST). (More announcements to come!)
Crunchyroll will stream Tower of God 2nd Season as it airs in North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East and CIS territories.
The original digital from SIU on WEBTOON began in June 2010 with 13 physical volumes released to date in Korea. The anime adaptation of the series produced by Telecom Animation Film and directed by Takashi Sano aired in April 2020.
Synopsis: Reach the top, and everything will be yours. At the top of the tower exists everything in this world, and all of it can be yours. You can become a god. This is the story of the beginning and the end of Rachel, the girl who climbed the tower so she could see the stars, and Bam, the boy who needed nothing but her.
CBS Studios and game developer Innersloth today announced that Randall Park (Fresh Off The Boat), Ashley Johnson (TheLast of Us), Yvette Nicole Brown (Community) and Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings film trilogy) have been cast to voice characters in Among Us, the new animated series based on the wildly popular social deception game.
The show is being produced by Eye Animation Productions, CBS Studios’ animation arm, in association with Innersloth, with animation provided by Titmouse. Owen Dennis (Infinity Train) is series creator and executive producer. Also executive producing are Forest Willard, Marcus Bromander and Carl Neisser for Innersloth, Chris Prynoski, Shannon Prynoski, Antonio Canobbio and Ben Kalina for Titmouse.
Meet the Crew
Randall Park as Red — Captain of The Skeld
People-pleaser, blowhard
Task: leadership, confidence
Fun Fact: failed upwards
Ashley Johnson as Purple — Chief of Security
Safety, suspicion, sarcasm
Task: wet blanket
Fun Fact: trust issues
Yvette Nicole Brown as Orange — HR
Spineless corporate shill
Task: eliminate redundancy, redundantly
Fun Fact: fires you over email
Elijah Wood as Green — Unpaid Intern
Happy to be there
Task: whatever they’re told
Fun Fact: gets paid in pizza
During Q4 of 2020 alone, Among Us had over 500 million monthly active users, with more than 4 billion views on YouTube and more than 1.22 billion viewing sessions on Twitch. In October 2020, Among Us was #1 on Google Play in 66 countries, Top 100 in all countries except 2. It was also #1 on iOS in 55 countries, Top 100 in all countries except 14. The game recently released a new map (The Fungle) and continues to boast millions of players daily.
DeAPlaneta Entertainment has acquired dystopian young adult animated series Ghosts of Ruin and will manage media, digital and L&M rights worldwide (except North America, which is being handled by Bejuba Entertainment). The series hails from U.S. content studio Battle Island.
“We are excited to add such a powerful IP, and with so much talent behind it,” said Carlos Biern, Content & Distribution Director, DeAPlaneta Kids & Family. “The quality of its animation is exceptional, and its story and direction captures your attention. We are sure it will become a favorite among gaming lovers and digital communities, one of the main targets our teams have been focusing on for our new franchises. Ghosts of Ruin is the perfect choice for any programming director looking to attract this difficult target.”
Ghosts of Ruin is a sci-fi young adult (+16) animation series created by PJ Accetturo and Ryan Ramsey, with two-time Emmy-winner Michael Ryan (Powerpuff Girls, Dexter’s Lab, Cow & Chicken, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Phineas & Ferb, Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated, Kung Fu Panda) serving as showrunner and Oscar-nominee Thierry Marchand (Oktapodi, Angelo Rules, Treasure Trekkers) as director. The CG-animated series, whose first season consists of 13 episodes of around 22 minutes each, is developed and produced by Michael Ramey and Katie Stippec.
Synopsis: I the near-future tech dystopia of San Francisco, the Tournament of Ruin is about to debut a brand new fully immersive technology — Neural Reality! Lee wins the opportunity to join the ranks of 100 of the world’s best gamers competing in a team battle royale. Lee is in way over his head, and no one knows that there’s something inside the game — something brutal and murderous — something that is hunting them one by one. Lee and company must survive long enough to crack the secrets of Neural Reality before they lose their minds and become the ghosts of Ruin.
The all-star voice cast features Rosario Dawson (Ahsoka), Justin Long (Barbarian), Nathalie Emmanuel (Fast & Furious franchise), Tony Revolori (The Grand Budapest Hotel), and K-pop icon AleXa. The original music has been created by Hans Zimmer’s collective Bleeding Fingers Music.
“Ghosts of Ruin is our love letter to the gaming industry and the future of the medium, imagining the next 30 years with a mix of giddy excitement combined with a healthy amount of curiosity and caution,” said co-creator Accetturo, CEO of Battle Island. “With the incredible talent Michael and Katie managed to bring together, and this exciting deal with DeAPlaneta Entertainment, the possibilities for the franchise are endless — uniting animation fans, gamers, comic-book consumers and beyond. We’re thrilled to continue exploring the world of Ruin and amassing a loyal audience of underdogs and dreamers.”
Video game developer Virtuos today announced the acquisition of Beyond-FX, a full-service visual effects studio in Los Angeles. This move expands Virtuos’ portfolio to include real-time VFX, a highly specialized skillset that demands a blend of artistry and technical finesse. Virtuos states it is committed to supporting the growth of Beyond-FX, the continued development of its artists and providing its unparalleled expertise to clients worldwide.
Founded in 2015 by Keith Guerrette, Beyond-FX is a preeminent studio in the field of real-time VFX for AAA games. As a full-service co-development team, its services cover all stages of VFX production from concept to implementation and optimization. The studio’s award-winning team of 39 has contributed to over 100 projects that most recently include 2XKO, Mortal Kombat 1, Valorant, The Callisto Protocol, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Legends of Runeterra, God of War, Rocket League and What Remains of Edith Finch.
Following the acquisition, Beyond-FX will continue to be led by Guerrette as General Manager. Guerrette is an award-winning VFX artist known for his groundbreaking work in immersive visual technology for narrative-driven video games such as The Last of Us and Uncharted. Alongside Beyond-FX, he founded RealtimeVFX.com, an online community for knowledge exchange among fellow VFX artists.
Keith Guerrette
“Beyond-FX’s goal today, as it was when we started nearly a decade ago, is to give developers worldwide access to the industry’s best craft and technical VFX artists who work collaboratively as fully integrated members of our clients’ teams,” said Guerrette. “With this vision, we’ve evolved from a small boutique studio in Los Angeles to a multinational business that supports developers across the Americas and Europe. That evolution continues as we are thrilled to have joined Virtuos. We’ll continue delivering groundbreaking work and fostering exceptional relationships with clients around the world, leveraging Virtuos’ global expertise and network of talented studios.”
He added, “What’s even more exciting is our shared vision with Virtuos of shaping the future of co-development in gaming. In collaboration with Virtuos’ passionate teams, Beyond-FX will help define a new industry standard focused on providing quality services through strong partnerships, efficiency through flexible collaboration, and the creation of great games by pushing the artistic boundaries of what’s possible in game engines.”
Dennis Cooper
Dennis Cooper, Regional Director of North America at Virtuos, commented, “We greatly appreciate the addition of Beyond-FX to Virtuos. Keith and his team are undisputedly passionate about their craft and like us, are heavily invested in education and developing new technologies. Together with Beyond-FX, our teams at CounterPunch and Virtuos Montreal, we look forward to expanding and deepening the services we offer to our valued partners in North America, our largest market to date.”
The acquisition marks a continual expansion of Virtuos’ global presence and service offerings, furthering its ambition of becoming the top external game developer globally. In the past year, Virtuos has expanded into Dalat with its art production studio Glass Egg, launched a studio in Tokyo, and engineering-focused Virtuos Labs in Warsaw and Prague.
Among the many innovative and promising new animated movies unveiled at Cartoon Movie last week was Island of Salamanders. Directed by Catherine Maximoff and produced by Artichoke (Slovakia), Les Contes Modernes (France) and Fabian & Fred (Germany), the 80-minute 2D/3D film follows the adventures of a young girl named Juliet who washes up on a wild island with her father and befriends an amazing giant salamander.
The film is produced by Patrice Nezan, Juraj Krasnohorsky and Fabian Driehorst.
Catherine Maximoff
“Although my background is in live action, when I read Karel Capek’s original book (War with the Newts) on which the movie is based on, I knew we needed to develop an animated feature because it features a young girl talking to a giant salamander!” says Maximoff. “I felt the storyline was also quite fascinating as it involves the young girl’s friendship with the salamander and how her father, who is a business, opens a pandora’s box because he realizes he can benefit from these fantastic salamanders for profit.”
Salamander character concept designs by Catherine Menesse
To help bring the story to animated life, the team is using a motion-capture studio in Bratislava named Blue Faces, which also collaborated on the acclaimed 2023 feature The Siren.
Juraj Krasnohorsky
“We wanted to create a pipeline that allowed live-action directors to work smoothly with animators and stop-motion actors,” says Krasnohorsky. “Catherine has the opportunity to work on the set with actors and can check out the live preview using Unreal engine. It provides the freedom to work with live-action actors to create realistic and detailed acting. Obviously, the results are not automatic. You just don’t press a button and get beautiful animation. The process involves animators and artists to create the final 2D-animated results and requires simulations for water, hair and outlines of the characters. However, it does speed up the process and allows us to experiment more and make changes when needed at a lower budget range.”
Watch the trailer and behind-the-scenes footage below:
Now in its 21st edition, the biennial UCLA Festival of Preservation showcases the UCLA Film & Television Archive’s latest preservation and restoration projects on the big screen. This year’s program, spanning the silent film era to the Golden Age of Television to 1990s indie films, includes a spotlight on iconic animation works brought back to their original shine.
Restored Animation Classics will feature restorations of several films (with sponsorship from ASIFA-Hollywood) including the restoration world premieres of Frank Moser’s French Fried (1930), Burt Gillett and Ted Eshbaugh’s Japanese Lanterns (1935), Dave Fleischer’s Hold It! (1938) and Anything to Please Red Riding Hood (1946), Max Fleischer’s Superman Trailer (1941) and Dave Fleischer & Shamus Culhane’s A Kick in Time (1940). The lineup also features Dave Fleischer & Seymour Kneitel’s Musical Memories (1935).
The free screening will be held April 6 at 10 a.m. at the Billy Wilder Theater; seating is first come, first served. Reserved seating is available exclusively to Hammer Museum members through the box office (open one hour before the day’s program).
More information and full film descriptions available here.
Marvel Studios has offered fans a look at the mutant evolution that has led to the new animated series X-Men ’97, premiering next week (March 20) with the first two episodes on Disney+.
“X-Men ’97 is not a reboot of the original series,” executive producer Brad Winderbaum points out in the video, “but literally a next-day continuation.”
The special advance look also features consulting producer Larry Houston, the Emmy-nominated producer/director of the 1990s X-Men: The Animated Series, as well as returning voice stars Adrian Hough (Nightcrawler), Cal Dodd (Wolverine), Alison Sealy-Smith (Storm), Lenore Zann (Rogue) and George Buza (Beast).
Synopsis:X-Men ’97 revisits the iconic era of the 1990s as The X-Men, a band of mutants who use their uncanny gifts to protect a world that hates and fears them, are challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future.
New voice casting for the revival include Ray Chase (taking over as Cyclops), Jennifer Hale (Jean Grey; Jubilee in the original series), JP Karliak (Morph), AJ LoCasio (Gambit), Holly Chou (Jubilee), Isaac Robinson-Smith (Bishop) and Matthew Waterson (Magneto).
The series was led creatively by showrunner, head writer and executive producer Beau DeMayo (who mysteriously left Marvel last week). Episodes were directed by Jake Castorena, Chase Conley and Emi Yonemura. Featuring music by The Newton Brothers, the series is executive produced by Winderbaum, DeMayo, Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito and Victoria Alonso.
X-Men, Assemble! (L-R) Jake Castorena, Matthew Waterson, Gui Agustini, Ross Marquand, Eric Bauza, AJ LoCascio, Jennifer Hale, Isaac Robinson Smith, Brad Winderbaum, Holly Chou, Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt, JP Karliak and Ray Chase attend the X-Men ’97 Launch Event at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 13, 2024. [ph: Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney]
X-Men ’97 Episode Release Schedule:
“To Me, My X-Men” & “Mutant Liberation Begins” – March 20
Photography, film and contemporary art events organizer Creo has revealed the panel of judges for the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards 2024. The competition for the sophomore edition of the program for short films and filmmakers, which closed earlier this month, provides a gateway for the development of cinematic talent from across the globe.
This year, the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards competition ran from June 15, 2023 to February 15, 2024, receiving more than double the number of entries from the previous year. Free to enter and open to all filmmakers internationally, more than 8,400 films by 5,000-plus filmmakers across 148 countries and territories were submitted this year.
Chaired by award-winning director Justin Chadwick for the second year running, this year’s jury brings together a panel of leading industry experts, including Michael Barker and Tom Bernard, Co-Founders and Co-Presidents of Sony Pictures Classics; Rob Hardy ASC, BSC, BAFTA Award-winning cinematographer; Kate Reid BSC, acclaimed British cinematographer; Emmy Award-winning cinematographer Robert Primes ASC; and celebrated Australian filmmaker Unjoo Moon.
“It is such a pleasure to return as Chair of this new prestigious panel of decorated creatives,” said Chadwick. “Last year, we brought to the forefront 30 exceptionally talented filmmakers from across the world, each of whom had the unique chance to access the inner workings of the industry in Los Angeles, opening doors to career-launching opportunities. From my own experience, the art of the short film is by no means one to be underestimated, and I look forward to discovering more brilliant, talented individuals through this upcoming selection.”
Working from a longlist of commended submissions, the first stage of the process will see judges Primes and Moon select the top 30 films for this year’s shortlist. At the second stage, judges Barker, Bernard, Hardy and Reid will choose this year’s category winners, awarding creative excellence and original approaches to narrative. Both stages of the judging process are chaired by Chadwick and the 30 shortlisted filmmakers will be announced on April 23, 2024.
The shortlisted filmmakers will be flown to Los Angeles to participate in an extensive workshop program and to attend the Awards ceremony, where the six category winners will be announced on May 30, 2024 at the Cary Grant Theater located at the historic Sony Pictures Studios lot in Culver City, California. The six winners will be rewarded with cash prizes and Sony camera equipment.
The 2024 edition introduced a new competition format with a total of six categories for filmmakers to enter: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Environment, Student, Future Format — welcoming films shot exclusively with a smartphone — and a brand new Animation category.
This year, winners and shortlisted filmmakers are invited to attend an expanded four-day workshop program in Los Angeles, which provides exclusive access behind the scenes of the industry and covers a range of topics from pitching to legal, to working with talent agencies and using cutting-edge technologies. From this edition onwards, the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards moves to the spring season, with the four-day workshop program and Awards ceremony taking place at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California from May 28-31, 2024.
In addition to attending the workshop program and receiving Sony camera equipment, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Environment and Animation category winners also receive a $5,000 USD cash prize. The Future Format category winner receives a $2,500 USD cash prize. The Student category winner and institution each receive Sony camera equipment.
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