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Home Blog Page 93

Animation Event Updates: ASIFA Student Showcase Panel, OIAF TV Competition, Collision Awards & More

Tonight (Friday, June 28) ASIFA-Hollywood’s Animation Educator’s Forum (AEF) presents the 2024 Student Animation Showcase premiere panel event, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. PDT. The Showcase is in its fifth year and highlights 144 animated short films from 33 schools.

Tune in via Zoom here to view the films, and join host Michael Bonitatis and several of the film creators for a Q&A. These films will be available for viewing for the rest of 2024 year.

 


OIAF TV competition
OIAF’s animated series competition will screen (L-R, T-B) ‘In the Know,’ ‘Scavengers Reign,’ ‘Let’s Play Pretend!,’ ‘Little Edy,’ ‘Bad Bad Belgium’ and ‘Gotchu Catchu’

Following the announcement of its Teen and Young Audience selectionsOttawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) has announced six titles competing in its Animated Series section. The 2024 festival runs September 25-29, details at animationfestival.ca.

“Each year, we strive to find under-the-radar series that OIAF audiences might not be familiar with. We don’t just look abroad, but also in alternative streaming sources,” said OIAF Artistic Director Chris Robinson.”This year’s crop features sci-fi, office comedy, historical works, and absurdist works that the OIAF has become known for uncovering.”

The selections are:

  • Bad Bad Belgium – dirs. Jasper Declercq, Wouter Medaer and Jonas Wellens (Belgium) – North American Premiere
  • Gotchu Catchu (가츄캐츄) – dirs. Taesik Shin and Kyuri Park (Republic of Korea) – International Premiere
  • In the Know ‘Portrait of a Safety Rep on Fire’ – dirs. Zach Woods and Brandon Gardner (United States) – Canadian Premiere
  • Let’s Play Pretend! – dir. Sam Lane (United States)
  • Little Edy ‘Episode 3’ – dir. Felipe Di Poi United States)
  • Scavenger’s Reign ‘The Signal’ – dirs. Joe Bennett and Charles Huettner (United States)

 


Crab Day | Sketchbook
Crab Day | Sketchbook

Britain’s Royal Television Society (RTS) announced the winners for the national RTS Student Television Awards 2024, sponsored by 4Skills, Channel 4’s nationwide training and development strategy. Hosted by rapper, author and broadcaster Guvna B, the winners were crowned at an awards ceremony at the IET, Savoy Place last week. The 2024 animation winners are:

Undergraduate Animation – Sketchbook by James (Hamez) Watt, Nyah Deamer, Marta Smielewski & Steven Watt (Manchester Metropolitan University)

After a failed day of selling sculptures on the streets, a homeless woman breaks into a car to steal a bag. Later, When rummaging through the bag she finds a sketchbook, belonging to a child. After flipping through the sketchbook, she feels guilty and is compelled to return it. (Trailer)

“The judges felt that the poignancy of the story in this short was well matched by the beautiful and ambitious animation. The attention to detail on color and visuals was particularly commented upon.”

Nominees: Doggerland (Michael Blake & Martin To; University of the West of England, Bristol) |The Curse of Dracular (Jack Paterson; Norwich University of the Arts)

Postgraduate Animation – Crab Day by Ross Stringer, Aleksandra Sykulak, Bartosz Stanislawek & Donya Maguire (National Film and Television School)

  • Also the winner for Postgraduate Craft Skills – Sound

As part of a fishing community’s annual ritual, a young boy must kill his first crab in order to become a man and gain his father’s approval. (Trailer)

“The judges loved this fresh take on a coming-of-age story told with humor and poignancy. The beautiful and deceptively simple animation style only served to enhance the clever storytelling in this captivating short.”

Nominees: Mum’s Spaghetti (Lisa Kenney, Emma Grazette, Martina Buendia Silva, Jack Maraghy & Team; National Film and Television School) | Singularity (Conor Mullin, Alexander Leeming Froudakis, Joe Flowers, Pip Denning & Team; University of the West of England, Bristol)

 


Collision Awards

Online, the Collision Awards — a new platform honoring excellence in animation and motion design — has announced its finalists in categories across film, TV, experiential and more. Public voting is now open at vote.collisionawards.com.

As a small excerpt of the many deserving nominees, the feature film finalists include:

  • Nimona (Netflix)
  • Wish (Disney)
  • Suzume (Crunchyroll)
  • Elemental (Pixar)
  • Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Sony)
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (Paramount)

 


Weird Market banner

This October 1-6, Valencia, Spain will host the 16th Weird Market, the International Animation, Video Games and New Media Market, with the professionals program Oct. 3-5. New venues that will host hundreds of professionals: La Harinera and Las Naves join the Filmoteca Valenciana as hubs for a multidisciplinary program including project presentations, talks, networking spaces, recruitment and screenings, among others.

The 2024 event unveiled official signal art, featuring the return of the “Mr. Weird” mascot. The new poster was designed by the Spanish animation studio Mr. Klaus, bringing back the iconic character they debuted in 2020. “[Mr. Weird] returns to give us some surprises during the event. At Weird we are always investigating the limits of technology and creativity so stay tuned for this,” said festival director José Luis Farias. Check out the full poster below.

Specialized in the creation of quality content for the animation and video game industry, Mr. Klaus has a client portfolio that includes international companies, production companies and channels such as Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Anima Kitchent, Canal+ Junior , El Ranchito, BRB International, IGG, Supercell.

The Weird Market will open its call for projects on July 25. Learn more at weirdmarket.es.

Ready to Pivot and Adapt: How Top Animation Service Studios Are Facing Today’s Industry Challenges

It’s a well-known fact that service studios are the unsung powerhouses of the animation industry. Although many tentpoles are original ideas formed and rendered by big studios, including Disney, DreamWorks, Sony and Illumination, a large swath of celebrated features and shows owe their visual charm to service studios.

Take 2023’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, for example. The story was cracked at Paramount, but it was Mikros Animation who was tasked with animating the film itself. With such films as Orion and the Dark, the latest PAW Patrol feature, Netflix’s Thelma the Unicorn and Paramount’s The Tiger’s Apprentice under its belt, Mikros has established itself as a major player in the service side of the industry, able to adapt to a range of genres and art styles.

“Mikros Animation does not have a house style. We pride ourselves on being able to achieve any look the filmmakers envision; this is our superpower,” says Mikros’ global head of production Adrianna Cohen. “Therefore, we continue to grow with the filmmakers, to produce films that creatively push boundaries and entertain audiences.”

Service Studios 2

Safety in Numbers

Cohen’s sentiments are echoed by Superprod Animation CEO Clément Calvet, who outlines the benefits of being an international company: “We have studios in several places with different specialties, but all those studios are connected. That’s why we have developed the company that way, to be ready to answer any needs at any time.” Superprod’s ability to tackle different styles is exemplified by its work on CG preschool series Ghee Happy, as well as the upcoming 2D/3D hybrid show Heroic Football.”

For Mainframe Studios, known for shows such as the global hit, CoComelon, Octonauts: Above and Beyond and Unicorn Academy, staying fixed in one region works to its benefit. “Having been in Vancouver for over 30 years, we know the talent very well,” says senior VP of content Gregory Little. “We have terrific in-house leads who have deep experience in practically every style and who help mentor new artists so that we can expand our skills. We also have an incredible recruiting team; one of the most exciting things about a new project is finding new talent to bring to Mainframe. It’s like what E.B. White said about New York: The magic comes when the solid foundation meets the new blood and each inspires the other.”

Adrianna Cohen

‘Animation is an art form, which by definition is a craft. So, venturing forth with AI, it is critical for us to be conscious stewards of the art form and the artists.’

— Adrianna Cohen, Global Head of Production, Mikros Animation

 

 

Accommodating different visions is one thing, but being in tune with the changing tides of the industry is also essential. Recent months have seen a significant downturn in demand for animated projects from streaming services, forcing service studios to adapt.

For Superprod, this lull gives it a chance to focus on original projects. “The fact that we’re not only a service studio helps a lot,” says Calvet. “We’re always focused on our own stuff; this has never changed and will never change.” Superprod’s managing director, Jérémie Fajner, claims that the steady growth of the company also helps at times like this. “The way we grew was very organic, driven by our own projects. We’ve been cautious because we very much believe in doing the projects together on site. Animation is a collective achievement.”

Mainframe banks on its good relationships with collaborators. “We are grateful to our longtime partners for giving us the opportunity to produce massive hits,” explains Little. “Hugely popular shows that get multiple season orders are critical because they bring stability. Also, we pursue co-productions in a multi-territory finance model so we’re less dependent on full financing from U.S. buyers. Additionally, we have expanded our budget ranges so that we can deliver really great content at a lower price, which opens up the range of partners we can work with.”

Also shaking up the industry is the advent of generative AI. We have already seen major studios integrate the technology, such as in Marvel’s Secret Invasion TV show, stoking fears across the industry that many jobs may be made redundant.

Clément Calvet

‘We use AI to benchmark what we should not do. When we start working on a project, we go to AI and ask it to give us a take. Then we say, “If everybody can get this on Midjourney, then we should get away from that.”‘

— Clément Calvet, CEO, Superprod Animation

 

Cohen sees the potential in the technology. “It’s easy to envision pipelines without code issues that can easily adapt to other technologies, the creation of tools that allow artists more freedom and creative possibilities and a final product that is achieved in less time and effort.” But she is also keen to advise caution. “Animation is an art form, which by definition is a craft. So, venturing forth with AI, it is critical for us to be conscious stewards of the art form and the artists.”

Neither Mikros, Superprod nor Mainframe currently employ AI in their projects directly, However, Fajner also has an eye on how the technology will develop. “It’s not a mature technology yet,” he explains. “It does a lot of useful things, but as with any technology, a lot of awful things. We want to do beautiful things. We want to master what we do, and we don’t want things to happen by chance, to accidentally have something beautiful. We have to be able to repeat beauty for 52 episodes in a row.”

Calvet has a more unconventional idea of how AI can be used in the pipeline. “We use AI to benchmark what we should not do,” says Calvet. “When we start working on a project, we go to AI and ask it to give us a take. Then we say, ‘If everybody can get this on Midjourney, then we should get away from that,’ because this is the most common thing that everybody would think of.”

As far as how AI will affect jobs in animation, Fajner believes that it may close some doors but open others. “Maybe it’s going to be a tool that saves time and the mechanical part of a job. The things that you do without thinking, that you don’t need unique people for, things that aren’t the most interesting to do; maybe there will be less of those jobs but more of the interesting jobs.”

Gregory LIttle

‘When it comes to production, we think high budgets will be reserved for an increasingly smaller group of properties, with increased pressure to reduce budgets on everything else.’

— Gregory R. Little, SVP Content, Mainframe Studios

 

 

Part of being a service studio is being able to work within different art styles, giving them a unique viewpoint on what the dominant method of animation is in the industry. On a mainstream level, we have seen photorealistic CG fall away slightly, with more stylized approaches that incorporate traditional animation on the rise. 2023 also saw Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron become an international phenomenon.

However, for Calvet computer animation still reigns supreme. “CG has taken the lead for a while already,” he says. “There’s no doubt about that for us. But 2D is always there. Now everything is hybrid. There will be CG in everything you do, but there will always be things that you can only do in 2D.” Superprod is happy to work with both, as Fajner explains: “We like being able to handle both really. We currently have two or three productions in CG, one in full 3D, one feature mixing 2D and CG in a very hybrid way.”

Committing to 2D projects is not always possible for service studios, as exemplified by Mikros. “We currently do not have the pipeline to do an entire 2D feature film — even though we did a considerable amount of 2D in the film Orion and the Dark,” explains Cohen, which shows how studios may need to incorporate more 2D into their portfolio as they increasingly take advantage of stories that only 2D animation can tell (besides adult animated TV shows). “There are a lot of 2D projects seeking a partner, and there should be,” Cohen continues. “There are some concepts and worlds best suited for a 2D universe.”

Service Studios 3

Signs of Change

With inconsistent cash flow being a staple of the industry these days, the future of animation can be difficult to predict. For Little, allocation of resources will play a big role. “When it comes to production, we think high budgets will be reserved for an increasingly smaller group of properties, with increased pressure to reduce budgets on everything else.” But that won’t affect the kinds of stories Mainframe wants to tell: “We are focusing more of our shows on great character comedy and a positive spirit. As parents we see the toxicity on social media, and we want to model something better.”

According to Cohen, the future of the industry relies on those attempting to cultivate something new. “The future is defined by what is happening at the edges. The successful edges will drive the industry,” she explains. “There will always be a desire for classic animation. Every year, new children discover the art form and are enthralled by it.

“But for the generations who have enjoyed the Pixar era, they have matured and are seeking new frontiers,” concludes Cohen. “This group will define the creative future. This will be fertile ground for independent films. Passionate filmmakers will find a way to make their films. Using more creative designs, intriguing universes and engaging, timely scripts, these independents will define the new era of animation.”


For more info about the studios mentioned in the story, visit mikrosanimation.com, superprod.net/en/superprod-animation and mainframe.ca.

 

CEE Animation Forum Reveals Selected Projects for 2024

CEE Animation Forum has announced the official 2024 lineup of selected projects. The regional pitching, financing and co-production event’s 12th edition will take place in Pilsen, Czech Republic, on November 12-13.

A total of 31 projects, divided into four categories — nine features, seven TV series, nine short films and six student films — have been selected, chosen from a record-breaking 123 applications from 31 countries (+30% compared to last year).

The 2024 lineup features a blend of CEE (Central & Eastern European) countries and the most developed markets of Western Europe. CEE countries make up around 70% of the lineup, with Czech Republic (six projects), Hungary and Poland (four each) being the most represented. Of the 31 selected projects, 55% of the directors and 56% of the producers are women.

The selected projects, in various stages of development or (pre)production  cover a wide variety of sources and thematic preoccupations; from adaptations of popular children’s classic and fictionalized biographies to first-person explorations of complex subjects.

In terms of catering to different target audiences, the selection includes eight projects for children up to 12 years old, six projects for teenagers, six projects for young adults and 11 projects aimed at adult audiences. Once again, hand-drawing emerged as the most popular animation technique, employed by 16 projects, followed closely by 2D animation (14 projects); 3D animation and stop-motion animation are also represented with three projects each.

“We are thrilled to reveal the exceptional lineup for this year’s edition. The record-breaking number of applications and the impressive quality of the selected projects highlight the growing significance of our event in the global animation industry. This year’s selection not only showcases a diverse array of creative talent but also June 26 2024 underscores our commitment to promoting gender equality and supporting emerging voices in animation,” said Marta Jallageas, Managing Director of the event.

CEE Animation Forum’s main programs are the Pitching competition, the Market and One-to-One Meetings. Launched in 2023 to complement the pitching competition, Market provides a platform for professionals in the animation industry to showcase their animated project, and offers participants the opportunity to purchase accreditations for their projects at any stage.

Accreditations for CEE Animation Forum will open in September 2024.

See details of the full roster of selected projects at ceeanimation.eu.

 

Saima - Scenes from a Midlife Crisis
Saima – Scenes from a Midlife Crisis

FEATURE FILMS

Basia & a Doggy Summer
Director: Marcin Wasilewski
Producer: Robert Jaszczurowski, GS Animation
Country: Poland

Dream of Grape Gardens
Director: Sahra Mani
Producer: Maéva Savinien, Urban Factory
Country: France

English Lessons (working title)
Director: Ivan Tymchenko
Producer: Svitlana Soloviova, Digital Platform, Svitlofor Film
Country: Ukraine

Finding Home
Director: Anja Manou Hellem
Producer: Lillian Løvseth, Trollfilm
Country: Norway

In My Head
Director: Veronika Zúbek Kocourková
Producer: Monika Lošťáková, Super film
Country: Slovakia

Saima – Scenes from a Midlife Crisis
Director: Chintis Lundgren
Producer: Draško Ivezić, Adriatic Animation
Country: Croatia

The Axolotls
Director: Filip Posivac
Producer: Barbora Prikaska, Bionaut
Country: Czech Republic

Three Wishes
Director: Katalin Glaser
Producer: Orsolya Sipos, Salto Films
Country: Hungary

Zoyka and the Bird
Director: Marta Pajek
Producer: Grzegorz Wacławek
Country: Poland

 

Welcome to Vegetown
Welcome to Vegetown

TV SERIES

Little Mimo
Director: Luca Toth
Producer: Péter Benjámin Lukács, Boddah
Country: Hungary

The End
Director: Paul Muresan
Producer: Mihai Mitrica, Safe Frame
Country: Romania

The Forest Five
Director: Ivana Laucikova
Producer: Katarína Kerekesová, Fool Moon
Country: Slovakia

The Little Odyssey
Director: Jakub Kouril
Producer: Gabriela Košťál, Paprika Studios
Country: Czech Republic

Tiny Fox and Great Boar
Director: Jacek Rokosz
Producer: Katarzyna Janiak, EGoFILM
Country: Poland

Toink!
Director: An Vrombaut
Producer: Kristof Lantin, Animal Tank
Country: Belgium

Welcome to Vegetown
Director: Sylvain Delcourt
Producer: Xavier Truchon, Toku
Country: France

 

Ant
Ant

SHORT FILMS

Ant
Director and producer: Jonatan Schwenk
Country: Germany

Bird’s Eye
Director: Lucija Mrzljak
Producer: Draško Ivezić, Adriatic Animation
Country: Croatia

Brown Morning
Director: Carlo Vogele
Producer: David Mouraire, Doghouse Films
Country: Luxembourg

Cosmonauts
Director: Leo Černic
Producer: Tina Smrekar, Finta Film
Country: Slovenia

Demon of the Marshes
Director: Martin Pertlicek
Producer: Kamila Dohnalová, Maurfilm
Country: Czech Republic

Killin’ It
Director: Balázs Turai
Producer: Péter Benjámin Lukács, Boddah
Country: Hungary

The Lookout
Director: Mathieu Labaye
Producer: Bastien Martin, Camera-etc
Country: Belgium

The Total Eclipse
Director: Marija Stojnić
Producer: Andrijana Sofranić Šućur, Set Sail FIlms
Country: Serbia

Watermelon
Director: Sara Szymańska
Producer: Anna Głowińska, Animoon
Country: Poland

 

What's Bothering Sara?
What’s Bothering Sara?

STUDENT FILMS

Dis)Connected
Director: Yoana Plachkova
Producer: New Bulgarian University
Country: Bulgaria

A Walk in Nature
Director: Matej Mihalyi
Producer: Academy of Arts Architecture & Design
Country: Czech Republic

Cashier
Director: Alina Sivets
Producer: University of West Bohemia
Country: Czech Republic

Each, All and Every
Director: Nikoletta Veress
Producer: Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design
Country: Hungary

My Granny Amphibian
Director: Viktória Zimmermannová
Producer: Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava
Country: Slovakia

What’s Bothering Sara?
Director: Krystsina Ramanava
Producer: Emma Slobodová, Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts
Country: Czech Republic

Much-Loved Animation Industry Veteran Adina Pitt Leaves Warner Bros. Discovery

TV animation industry veteran Adina Pitt, is leaving her position as Warner Bros. Discovery’s VP of content acquisitions, partnership and co-productions for kids and family in the U.S. During her 16 years at Warner Bros Discovery, the New York-based Pitt was in charge of identifying, negotiating and acquiring pre-produced series, specials, movies and short-form product for exposure across all platforms. She continued to oversee those projects once they had been acquired and positioned at the networks.

Prior to her years at Warner, Pitt was VP of acquisitions for Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group. She developed acquisition strategies that supported programming plans for Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Nick Jr, Nick at Nite, The N and Noggin. She also oversaw channel inventory, cable and network television series and movie deals, competitive pricing, theatrical and made-for-TV movie availability, and competitive inventories domestically and globally. She previously worked in film programming acquisitions at HBO.

A gracious and passionate advocate for empowering, entertaining and inspiring children’s entertainment, Pitt helped shape and deliver hits such as The Total Drama Island franchise, LEGO Ninjago and Marc Brown’s HOP. She is also known for her popular industry dinners held at MIP-TV and MIPCOM confabs and lunches for women in the TV animation business. Pitt was the recipient of Animation Magazine’s Hall of Fame Award in 2019.

“Adina Pitt is an unparalleled, world-class executive—a leader in the kids’ space not just within our company, but across the entire industry,” said Michael Ouweleen, the president of Adult Swim at Warner Bros. Discover. “If you know her, you know there’s no better partner and proponent for quality kids’ entertainment. She will certainly shape the kids’ space for years to come.”

After Pitt’s departure, the kids’ and family division at Warner Bros. Discovery will be driven by its international team, under the direction of Vanessa Brookman in London.

Adina Pitt received Animag’s  Hall of Fame award in 2019 (pictured here with Marc Ceccarelli, Sergio Pablos, Marlon West and Mike Young).

 

Ian McKellan and Divina De Campo Lead LGBTQ+ Animated Musical ‘Dragfox’

Legendary stage and screen actor Ian McKellen has teamed up with Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK star Divina De Campo to share the titular role in the upcoming stop-motion animated film, Dragfox. McKellen will voice Ginger Snap the Fox, while De Campo (Owen Farrow) will lend her impressive vocal range to the character’s drag musical number.

The short film centers on Sam (voiced by newcomer Aidan Gale), a child struggling on a journey with their identity, only to be interrupted by a charismatic and mysterious neighborhood fox. Together, this unlikely duo embarks on a magical musical adventure where they discover surprising commonalities and learn to embrace the beauty of their differences

Dragfox is directed by Lisa Ott and produced by Owen Thomas, as part of their master’s programs at the National Film and Television School. “It was important for us to celebrate Sam and reflect to the world that if we truly sit down and listen to someone, we have the power to make the world a little bit less scary for them,” the filmmakers explained. “Who better to deliver that message than the utterly captivating and innately kind, Sir Ian McKellen?”

Ian McKellan, photo provided by Dragfox producers

McKellen shared how the film resonates with his journey: “When I was a kid growing up in South Lancashire just after the war, there were lots of things that preoccupied us, nobody really had time to wonder what it was like to be a little gay boy growing up at a time when that word hadn’t really been invented. We were ‘queers.’ We were looked at from other people’s points of view, and what’s important about growing up — as this film says — is to be yourself. Not in a selfish way, but just in a life-affirming way.

“There was a total lack of that for me, as I suppose there is for trans people today. And often the best way to get a message over is not to make a speech or write a book, but to make people smile. Lead them in. Persuade them there’s nothing frightening going on. Which is exactly what this film does.”

Ian McKellen is an actor and activist, who has received over 60 major international awards for his performances on screen, stage and television. He has been a leading man with the Royal Shakespeare Company and starred in numerous plays. Oscar-nominated for his performance in Gods and Monsters, he is best known to younger audiences for his roles in the X-Men franchise and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which includes another Oscar nomination for The Fellowship of the Ring. He has been an eloquent advocate for gay rights since he came out in 1988 and co-founded Stonewall, a charity which lobbies for legal and social equality for gay people. Ian was knighted for his contribution to the performing arts and was appointed Companion of Honour ‘for services to Drama and Equality’ by the Queen in 2007.

Divina De Campo, photo provided by Dragfox producers

“Being a part of Dragfox is a dream come true. I get to share a role with an absolute hero and icon!” De Campo enthused. “More importantly, this film is not just a celebration of identity and diversity, but also a beacon of hope for anyone struggling to find their place in the world. For a trans kid, it’s a seminal moment to see yourself reflected in films or TV. The story of Sam and Ginger Snap reminds us all that our uniqueness is our greatest strength, and that love and acceptance can be found in the most unexpected places.”

Drag superstar of stage and screen, and finalist in RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, Divina De Campo is renowned for her high soprano and four-octave range, which have earned her leading roles in various productions. These include Chicago the Musical and the stage adaptation of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, for which she won Best Performer in a Musical at the 2022 UK Theatre Awards. She also stars in The SpongeBob Musical, playing the role of Plankton. When she isn’t performing or filming, Divina can be found making music or raising awareness for one of the many charities she supports.

In addition to its shining voice stars, Dragfox features a score recorded by The London Gay Big Band, a jazz orchestra composed of LGBTQ+ community members. The film was selected by Creative Artists Agency (CAA) for their Moebius Showcase 2024, and has been longlisted for the 2024 Yugo BAFTA Animation Award.

Follow the film’s journey on Instagram @dragfox_animation for festival updates, behind-the-scenes content with the cast and distribution news.

 

‘Despicable Me 4’ Director Chris Renaud Takes Us Behind the Scenes of the Super Villain’s Next Adventure

Former supervillain Gru is back at his mission as a reformed baddie in one of this summer’s biggest releases — Despicable Me 4. This time, Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) must fight evil while trying to manage being the father of a newborn, Gru Jr.

Fans will be happy to see familiar creatives in the credits. The film is directed by Chris Renaud and co-directed by Patrick Delage, who makes his feature film debut on this movie. Chris Meledandri and Brett Hoffman are producers on the project. Mike White and Ken Daurio wrote the film.

Despicable Me 4 [Illumination/Universal Pictures]

The fourth feature’s plotline revolves around villain Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell), who escapes from jail with his girlfriend and seeks revenge on Gru and his family. Gru must then rise to the occasion while still attending to his responsibilities as a father.

“I think that we always try to think of ideas that are universal and relatable,” says Renaud in a recent interview with Animation Magazine. “We started this story by talking about the family moving and leaving their familiar home. And that’s obviously something that a lot of us have gone through. I went through it when I was 15. It was very kind of a life-altering experience, as I’m sure it is for a lot of people. So that seemed like a great place to start.”

Despicable Me 4
Dastardly Clan: In the fourth movie, ‘Despicable Me’s supervillain turned hero Gru (Steve Carrell) and Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig) welcome baby Gru Jr. into their family of adopted humans and minions.

Growing Pains

Renaud, who also directed Illumination’s two previous Despicable Me movies, as well as two The Secret Life of Pets features, says one of the rewarding aspects of this franchise is that you can tell a lot of different stories based on a character or group. “You can look at a family problem or dynamic and who’s the new villain that group is going [to] go up against,” he explains. “There are also certain elements in this movie like the talent show, which a little bit comes from my own experience playing with friends, so you always bring your own thoughts and ideas and experiences in life. I’m a parent with two kids, and a lot of the filmmakers are parents too, so it’s always good to have that ability to create these universal concepts that everybody can really relate to. We’re also interested in finding the comedic way to tell the story and to make those story ideas funny.”

As Renaud and his team approached DM4, they understood that advances in animation tools would make this installment a little less difficult to make.

Despicable Me 4 [Illumination/Universal Pictures]

Chris Renaud

‘I’m a parent with two kids, and a lot of the filmmakers are parents too, so it’s always good to have that ability to create these universal concepts that everybody can really relate to.’

— Director and exec producer Chris Renaud

 

 

“As a director, honestly, it’s gotten so much easier,” says Renaud. “It’s so much easier than the process when we made the first Despicable Me. On our first film, we were trying to figure out the new pipeline and new tools. A lot of what we were doing was just policing for mistakes. It could be a bit of a fraught process. Now, most of our discussions really are about creative choices. There was one shot I can think of in this that we just decided we didn’t need. It was good and we [were] going to achieve it, but we thought maybe we shouldn’t. That’s a creative conversation.”

The director says he and his team always ask themselves whether something is really worth doing. “You’re very free to try so many things,” he adds. “I found it to be easier and easier as the tools have advanced. The design language has evolved a little bit, particularly in this movie because this movie is a very grounded idea. It’s in the suburbs, and it’s not as kooky as stealing the Moon — or trying to steal the Moon. So, there’s balance to that a little bit. Despicable Me, which is very graphic and has a European-influenced design style with this kind of very normal world they’re going into, which was the point of their sort of leaving their neighborhood. So, you have to kind of [have] the design language between the two; you have to kind of figure out how to bridge that.”

Despicable Me 4 [Illumination/Universal Pictures]

In addition to Illumination’s signature design, the character of Gru is heavily defined by Carell, whose audacious performance brought the character’s idiosyncrasies out in full view for the audience. For Renaud, there’s just no one better to work with on this kind of project.

“I think [Steve’s] performance defined what we look for in other actors to support that character,” says Renaud. “We want to be cooking up kind of a bigger-than-life version of these characters. Steve is obviously doing an accent, and it’s got real scale to it. And that’s really what we look for in people that are going to be part of this universe as well. For me, personally, I love working with comedians and I love working with people who can take their characters over the top and find the humor in everything that happens. That’s why a lot of people we work with are comedians and Saturday Night Live alums. It’s because that show is essentially character creation. Our characters really require a lot of broadness, and because the actors are often comedians or from SNL, they are perfect to fill out these animated characters.”

Despicable Me 4 [Illumination/Universal Pictures]

Of course, there were some challenges. “They only have their voice, and there’s no physical way for them to fill out the characters, and there’s no camera to pick up their facial expressions, their body language,” explains the director. “The performances need a kind of scale when they go to the audio recording. With Steve, we sort of landed on this idea with Gru as being this dad who is struggling with his choices with wanting to be a parent and wanting to be working too. It’s also the accent that you hear, and again, the broadness of it, that defines a lot of the storytelling.”

Starring alongside Carell, reprising his signature role as Gru, and Ferrell as new villain Maxime are Miranda Cosgrove playing Margo, Joey King as Poppy, Kristen Wiig as Lucy Wilde, Stephen Colbert as Perry Prescott, Will Arnett playing Mr. Perkins and Sofía Vergara as Maxime’s girlfriend, Valentina.

Despicable Me 4 [Illumination/Universal Pictures]
Criminally Well Cast: New to the franchise are Hollywood comedy icon Will Ferrell as supervillain Maxime Le Mal and Emmy nominee Sofia Vergara as femme fatale Valentina.

Despicable Me 4 [Illumination/Universal Pictures]

Those Brilliant Voices

Renaud says he was thrilled to have so many highly skilled actors in his voice cast. For him, it makes things more defined and appealing for the audience when the characters are portrayed with real imagination.

“Steve [Carell] is very thoughtful in his approach to Gru, as silly as the movies are,” says Renaud. “He really has a point of view on it. He comes in with a point of view, and we talk, and he’s always suggesting things that give more to his character. He really thinks about what it should be. How you play that is a tricky moment, because [Gru’s] trying to reassure his son while he’s also living a kind of secret, undercover life. Again, it’s a testament to Steve’s performance. I think it works as well as it does [also] with Will Ferrell because the character was named Maxime Le Mal and Will is so committed. All you can do is jump in. Though we record the voices separately, you feel like Will and Steve are right there in each other’s worlds. And you feel that with all the actors in the film. It’s the kind of thing that we can’t go without and always want to have. You always want actors who can become perfect fit with the two or more other people.”

 


Universal released Illumination’s Despicable Me 4 in theaters on Wednesday, July 3.

‘Daniel Tiger’ S7 Changes Stripes with New Story Format, PBS KIDS Adds to Civics’ Content

PBS KIDS is expanding its lineup of civics-themed content with two star-powered premieres from Future Brain Media’s City Island and Sesame Workshop. On top of these debuts, a new season of Fred Rogers Productions’ animated preschool hit Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood is on the way.

Produced by Sesame Workshop, Together We Can is a collection of 20 music videos centered on a civics curriculum for young viewers. The first 10 episodes will debut July 3, with the remaining 10 premiering on August 7.

The new series features a variety of songs across multiple genres sung by a cast of kids — who are joined by celebrity guest stars Savannah Guthrie (NBC’s Today), Christopher Jackson (In the Heights, Hamilton), Hoda Kotb (NBC’s Today) and Christian Slater (Mr. Robot). Each music video encourages viewers to learn, listen, lead — and sing and dance all along the way. The videos support children in seeing themselves as active members of their communities and give them context on how our government plays a role in our everyday lives.

City Island
City Island

Debuting July 5, Season 2 of City Island, the hit PBS KIDS animated comedy shorts series, will roll out new episodes each Friday. The series stars Kimia Behpoornia (Abbott Elementary) and Kimiko Glenn (Orange Is the New Black), and the new season features guest stars such as Rosie Perez, Ali Stroker, Vanessa Bayer and Rachel Bloom.

Season 2, including 20 new shorts with 585 new characters and over 400 locations, will expand the series’ civics-centered stories to include timely topics like news media and fact-based reporting, advertising and the internet. The new season also includes two special musical episodes, “Theater Street” and “Holidays,” written by comedian Rachel Wenitsky (The Tonight Show, SNL, Story Pirates).

Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood S7 will tell new stories from the perspectives of Daniel’s friends, like Miss Elaina.

Little fans’ roars will also be answered this summer with the return of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood for its seventh season, featuring a brand-new format that tells stories from the points of view of Daniel’s friends. Premiering August 12, Season 7 will feature 14 episodes with exciting new interstitials plus one half-hour special.

Since its launch in 2012, the relatable Daniel Tiger has become beloved by children and parents alike as he takes viewers along on his everyday adventures in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. Now, viewers will experience the perspective of other fan-favorite characters. Each half-hour will include one story from Daniel’s perspective and another from the perspective of characters including Katerina Kittycat, Miss Elaina, O the Owl, Prince Wednesday, Jodi Platypus, Max, and Chrissie.

The show’s “Imagination Moments” will also be presented from the unique perspectives of other characters to illustrate each friend’s own imaginative style.

“We’re excited that the new format will give children more opportunities to see themselves and their experiences represented as they get to know Daniel’s friends in a different way,” said Ellen Doherty, Chief Creative Officer, Fred Rogers Productions. “Celebrating friends and neighbors is one of many ways that Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood continues the legacy of Fred Rogers.”

In addition to new songs and stories — including a helpful potty strategy tune — S7 will feature an episode where Daniel and friends wonder what’s new about Trolley. Young viewers and their families will also get to visit a new location and meet Jodi’s dad, Mr. Plat, who lives outside the Neighborhood of Make-Believe.

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood is produced by Fred Rogers Productions and 9 Story Media Group and animated by 9 Story’s award-winning animation studio, Brown Bag Films. 9 Story holds worldwide licensing and distribution rights for the series.

Brawler Anime ‘Wind Breaker’ Will Return for Second Round

Wind Breaker ©Satoru Nii, KODANSHA / WIND BREAKER Project

Following its season finale broadcast in Japan on Thursday, June 27, it has been confirmed that the hit anime series Wind Breaker will continue with a new season in production for a 2025 on-air release. A confirmation video was shared via the show’s official social channels.

The Season 1 finale was simulcast today on Crunchyroll, which will stream Wind Breaker Season 2 in over 200 countries and territories worldwide. The English dub for the S1 finale will arrive on Thursday, July 11, exclusively on the anime platform.

Synopsis: Welcome to Furin High School, an institution infamous for its population of brawny brutes who solve every conflict with a show of strength. Some of the students even formed a group, Bofurin, which protects the town. Haruka Sakura, a first-year student who moved in from out of town, is only interested in one thing: fighting his way to the top.

Wind Breaker ©Satoru Nii, KODANSHA / WIND BREAKER Project

Wind Breaker is based on the original manga created by Satoru Nii, published in Kodansha’s Magazine Pocket. The animated series is produced by CloverWorks (Spy x Family, Black Butler: Public School Arc, Bocchi the Rock!). It is directed by Toshifumi Akai (Fate/Grand Order -Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia-) with series composition and screenplay written by Hiroshi Seko (Attack on Titan Final Season, Chainsaw Man, Jujutsu Kaisen).

Additional staff includes character designs and chief animation direction by Taishi Kawakami (Akebi’s Sailor Uniform), action direction by Kazuyuki Asaka (key animation on Jujutsu Kaisen 0), prop design by Maiko Hado (key animation on Liz and the Blue Bird), art direction by Yasunao Moriyasu (Akebi’s Sailor Uniform, Horimiya), color design by Asuka Yokota (Akebi’s Sailor Uniform, Black Butler -Public School Arc-), cinematography by Yukiko Nagase (Spy x Family), 3D direction by Keita Watanabe (CG animation on Love Live! Sunshine!!), editing by Akinori Mishima (Your Lie in April, Akudama Drive), sound direction by Jin Aketagawa (Dr. Stone, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime) and music composed by Ryo Takahashi (Sk8 the Infinity, Sing a Bit of Harmony).

The opening song “Absolute zero” is performed by natori and the ending song “Muteki” is performed by Young Kee.

Japanese / English voice cast:

  • Yuma Uchida / Austin Tindle as Haruka Sakura
  • Shoya Chiba / Bryson Baugus as Akihiko Nirei
  • Koki Uchiyama / Orion Pitts as Kyotaro Sugishita
  • Nobunaga Shimazaki / Dallas Reid as Hayato Suo
  • Toshiyuki Toyonaga / Drew Breedlove as Mitsuki Kiryu
  • Kengo Kawanishi / Jordan Dash Cruz as Taiga Tsugeura
  • Yuichi Nakamura / Aaron Campbell as Hajime Umemiya
  • Ryota Suzuki / Nick Huber as Toma Hiragi
  • Nobuhiko Okamoto as Ren Kaji
  • Kikunosuke Toya / Derick Snow as Choji Tomiyama
  • Yuichiro Umehara / Chris Guerrero as Jo Togame
  • Chiaki Kobayashi / Ian Moore as Kota Sako
  • Ikumi Hasegawa / Hollis Beck as Kotoha Tachibana

 

You can watch a clip from Season 1 here.

SAG-AFTRA Expands Tiered-Budget Agreement for Indie Video Game Developers

SAG-AFTRA, the largest union in the world representing performers, announced today that it is rolling out a fourth tier of its new video game contract, the Tiered-Budget Independent Interactive Media Agreement.

The agreement was initially unveiled with three tiers in February, allowing independent video game developers and projects with smaller budgets to access union talent for projects in the $250,000 to $15 million range. The new tier provides coverage for projects in the $15 million to $30 million budget range. The union notes the new agreement aligns with SAG-AFTRA’s goal of expanding coverage for video games while incorporating many of the provisions to protect performers’ careers, including robust AI protections that cover voice and movement performance for all four tiers.

“With this expanded scope of the Tiered-Budget Agreement, even more projects will benefit from the skills and experience of union performers, and performers will have more opportunities to work with the benefits and protections of a union contract, including important AI guardrails,” said SAG-AFTRA Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee Chair Sarah Elmaleh. “As a union, we are committed to creating contracts and waivers that foster actor-developer collaboration across every budget and scope. Thousands of video games are released every year and each one deserves to benefit from union talent.”

SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said, “All levels of the tiered-budget agreement include crucial AI provisions and other protections our members need. It is critical that protections apply to all of our members who perform in video games, including movement performers. It’s also worth noting that in the event of a strike of the Interactive Media Agreement, members would be able to continue working on video games being produced under a tiered-budget agreement.”

Key features of the contract:

  • Now offers customized session rates for four production budget tiers:
    • $250,000 to $1 million
    • $1 million to $5 million
    • $5 million to $15 million
    • $15 million to $30 million
  • Simplifies and streamlines the base language of the full Interactive Media Agreement.
  • Captures project success with secondary payments, which can be prepaid at a reduced rate.
  • Requires informed consent and compensation for the use of digital replicas of a performer.

The full text of the agreementFAQs and a Producers Guide are available for review in SAG-AFTRA’s digital Production Center.

Developers interested in finding out more about the new agreement should contact interactive@sagaftra.org or call (323) 549-6815.

Italian Animation Co. Mondo TV Fined by U.S. Treasury for Using North Korean Service Studio

Mondo TV S.p.a., which has been a leading Italian animation producer for nearly 40 years, has agreed to pay the United States Treasury Department $538,000 for “apparent violations” of U.S. sanctions against North Korea. The Dept. says the Rome-based studio paid the DPRK’s state-run animation house SEK Studio roughly the same amount for outsourced work, which was flagged being wire transferred through U.S. financial institutions between May 2019 and November 2021.

Earlier this year, watchdog org 38 North reported that files retrieved from servers in the country implicated that U.S.-based productions were unwittingly being outsourced to North Korean studios, purportedly through Chinese production service partners. The Treasury’s investigation however found that Mondo TV was aware it was working with a North Korean business, that its outsourcing contract made explicit reference to the heavily-sanctioned country, and that the studio’s working relationship with SEK traces back to the 1990s. A source told Animation Magazine that others in the animation industry had been aware of the arrangement for low-cost service work, and that it was not a unique situation.

Mondo TV Group has not issued a comment on the investigation.

Jenny Town, Director of the Korea program at foreign affairs thinktank the Stimson Center, told CNN: “It’s rather surprising that any European company would knowingly work with a North Korean company like this after [the E.U. sanctions imposed in] 2013, much less believe transactions to designated third parties — especially in the U.S. — would go unnoticed … [This event] should be a wake-up call to those who might think the sanctions regime is dead.”

[Source: CNN]

Isekai Adventure ‘Loner Life in a Another World’ Set Exclusive Simulcast Run with HIDIVE

Loner Life in Another World

Fans of dimension-hopping anime adventures can look forward to a new fantasy isekai on HIDIVE later this year. Loner Life in Another World, based on the popular isekai light novel and manga created Shoji Goji. The series will stream exclusively on the anime service from AMC Networks as part of its Fall 2024 simulcast season.

“We’re thrilled to reveal that the eagerly anticipated isekai series Loner Life in Another World will stream exclusively later this year as part of HIDIVE’s Fall 2024 simulcast season,” said John Ledford, President of HIDIVE. “We may have a special sneak peek for fans next week at Anime Expo 2024, so stay tuned!”

Synopsis: After getting isekai’d into another world with his entire high school class, “God” offers Haruka and his peers their choice of special powers so they can become fantasy heroes. But Haruka accidentally missed the power selection period, and now he’s stuck with the leftover abilities his classmates refused to take! Seemingly underpowered, he makes use of his unwanted skills to live a (surprisingly comfortable) life as a lone wolf … but his classmates soon learn their “superior” abilities aren’t as great as they’re cracked up to be, and Haruka may have to come to their rescue using ingenuity, creativity and the leftover powers his classmates once snubbed.

Voice starring Shuichiro Umeda as Haruka, Haruka Shiraishi as Class Rep and Hina Suguta as Gal Leader, the anime series is directed by Akio Kazumi and written by Kenta Ihara together with production by Hayabusa Film and Passione.

Loner Life in Another World is adapted from the currently 14-volume-long light novel and 19-volume-long manga titles created by Shoji Goji and published by Overlap that launched in January 2018 and January 2019, respectively. Seven Seas publishes the English-language version of the light novel, while Kaiten Books publishes the English-language version of the manga.

‘Hit-Monkey’ Kicks into Second Season Gear with New Trailer & Key Art

Marvel's Hit-Monkey

Hulu has let Marvel’s murderous primate loose in a new trailer and key art for the second season of Hit-Monkey. The adult animated series premieres Monday, July 15 on Hulu.

Created by Oscar-nominated filmmakers Will Speck and Josh Gordon (Cavemen, Blades of Glory), the series follows a Japanese snow monkey who, aided by the ghost of an American assassin, goes on a killing-spree, and becomes the famous “killer of killers.”

S2 Synopsis: In New York City, Monkey finds a path to escape his life of killing, while Bryce attempts to repair the damage to those he wronged in life. But what will it cost them to undo the past?

Marvel's Hit-Monkey
Leslie Jones as Eunice (front) with Fred Tatasciore as Hit-Monkey and Jason Sudeikis as Bryce.

The voice cast features Leslie Jones as new character Eunice; Ally Maki returning as honest Tokyo cop Haruka; Cristin Milioti introduced as Bryce’s abandoned daughter, Iris; Olivia Munn is back as Akiko; Fred Tatasciore as Hit-Monkey; and Jason Sudeikis as his spectral mentor Bryce Fowler.

The second season of Hit-Monkey is produced by 20th Television Animation with animation by Floyd County Productions (Archer, Dicktown).

Netflix Powers Up ‘Terminator Zero’ Cast with Rosario Dawson, André Holland & More

Timothy Olyphant Headshot
Timothy Olyphant [c/o by Netflix]
The singularity is nigh: Additional cast members have been announced for Netflix’s adult animated series Terminator Zero, bringing fans back to the AI apocalypse of the blockbuster film series. These newly announced stars join previously announced voice of The Terminator, Timothy Olyphant (Justified, Deadwood). The eight-episode saga debuts August 29.

Synopsis: 2022: A future war has raged for decades between the few human survivors and an endless army of machines. 1997: The AI known as Skynet gained self-awareness and began its war against humanity.

Caught between the future and this past is a soldier sent back in time to change the fate of humanity. She arrives in 1997 to protect a scientist named Malcolm Lee who works to launch a new AI system designed to compete with Skynet’s impending attack on humanity. As Malcolm navigates the moral complexities of his creation, he is hunted by an unrelenting assassin from the future which forever alters the fate of his three children.

New Cast Announcements:

Rosario Dawson as Kokoro in 'Terminator Zero' [c/o Netflix © 2024]
Rosario Dawson as Kokoro in ‘Terminator Zero’ [c/o Netflix © 2024]
Rosario Dawson Headshot [ph: Jamie McCarthy]
Rosario Dawson Headshot [ph: Jamie McCarthy]

Rosario Dawson (Ahsoka, Common Ground) as Kokoro

An advanced AI and Japan’s answer to Skynet, if brought online, Kokoro will be endowed with the same power as Skynet. Kokoro must calculate for itself: is humanity the plague Skynet believes? Or are human beings worth saving?

 


André Holland as Malcolm Lee in 'Terminator Zero' [c/o Netflix © 2024]
André Holland as Malcolm Lee in ‘Terminator Zero’ [c/o Netflix © 2024]
Andre Holland [ph: Dylan Coulter]
Andre Holland [ph: Dylan Coulter]

André Holland (Moonlight, The Knick) as Malcolm Lee

A genius computer programmer and father of three, Malcolm Lee is haunted by prophetic nightmares of an apocalyptic future. He’s spent the last decade creating a secret artificial intelligence that he believes will be humanity’s last hope.

 


Sonoya Mizuno as Eiko in 'Terminator Zero' [c/o Netflix © 2024]
Sonoya Mizuno as Eiko in ‘Terminator Zero’ [c/o Netflix © 2024]
Sonoya Mizuno
Sonoya Mizuno

Sonoya Mizuno (House of the Dragon, Crazy Rich Asians) as Eiko

Coming from a post-Judgement Day 2022, Eiko is a resistance fighter sent back in time to stop Malcolm from launching Kokoro.

 


Ann Dowd as The Prophet in 'Terminator Zero' [c/o Netflix © 2024]
Ann Dowd as The Prophet in ‘Terminator Zero’ [c/o Netflix © 2024]
Ann Dowd [ph: Tina Turnbow]
Ann Dowd [ph: Tina Turnbow]

Ann Dowd (The Handmaid’s Tale, MASS) as The Prophet

In the future, the Prophet is the philosophical guide for the human resistance, a light shepherding survivors in the darkness of the unknown future ahead.

 


Produced by Skydance and animated by Japan’s Production I.G (Ghost in the Shell, Jin-Roh, Psycho-Pass), Terminator Zero is headed by showrunner, executive producer and writer Mattson Tomlin (Project Power, The Batman II) and directed by Masashi Kudo (Bleach franchise, Chain Chronicle: The Light of Haecceitas films). Executive producers for Skydance are David Ellison, Dana Goldberg & Don Granger.

Showrunners Behind Disney’s ‘ZOMBIES: The Re-Animated Series’ Discuss the Franchise’s New Incarnation

Fans of Disney TV’s live-action ZOMBIES movies will be able to enjoy a new animated take on the popular franchise, beginning this Friday (June 28). The show, which features the voices of Milo Manheim, Meg Donnelly and Chandler Kinney, will allow viewers to tag along with Zed, Addison and the entire Seabrook crew as they go through the trials and tribulations of high school life. In this musical comedy-adventure toon, Zed and Addison use A-spen’s alien time warp technology to start their senior year all over again, so they can redo it with all their friends.

The series’ talented showrunners and executive producers Aliki Theofilopoulos (Mickey Mouse, Phineas and Ferb, Harvey Girls Forever, Dew Drop Diaries, Doug Unplugs) and Jack Ferraiolo (Amphibia, WordGirl, Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz) were kind enough to answer a few of our questions about their cool summer project. Here is what they told us:

 

Jack Ferraiolo
Jack Ferraiolo

Animation Magazine: First up, congrats on the debut of your show on Disney Channel and Disney+ this week. Can you tell us a little bit about how and when you started working on this project?

Jack Ferraiolo: About two years ago, development came to me and Aliki with the idea of turning the ZOMBIES movie franchise into an animated show. We loved the idea of working on a high school show because of the storytelling opportunities inherent within that setting. We also thought the movies were fun and were gifting us a strong ensemble cast with characters that we both identified with and felt we could stretch even further. Also, Aliki and I had never worked together before, and we were really excited to pair our sensibilities in telling goofy and fun high school stories. Aliki and I are both goofy and fun, so we thought it was a good opportunity.

 

Aliki Theofilopoulos
Aliki Theofilopoulos

What is it about the new series that really captured your interest and imagination?

Aliki Theofilopoulos: The idea of taking this exciting Disney franchise and bringing it to life in an animated world which, thanks to this fantastic medium would give us the opportunity to push ideas conceptually and visually, was something that really appealed to us both. We both love shows with strong ensembles that focus on strong characters bouncing off each other, like Freaks and Geeks and New Girl, and were inspired to implement that kind of storytelling into an animated series.

 

Where is the animation produced and which animation tools are used to create it?

Jack and Aliki: The animation is produced at Atomic Cartoons, our partner studio in Canada. It’s a CG animated show storyboarded in Storyboard Pro.

 

How many people work on the show with you?

Aliki: Do Mickey and Donald count?

Jack: I’m not great at math, so somewhere between 30 and 165,000 people.

 

ZOMBIES: The Re-Animated SeriesWhat do you love about this show?

Aliki: I love our crew! At each stage of the production from starting with the spark of an idea in the writers’ room, to finalizing a script draft, to the incredible performances from our actors, memorable music created by our songwriters and composer, storyboards that soar, gorgeous designs, and incredible color and lighting that brings our crew to life — every person pluses the work at each stage, pouring their hearts and souls into the work, and you really just feel it.

Jack: I love that we have a fun cast of diverse personalities to tell ridiculous stories, in which we can take a relatable problem and blow it out of proportion. Despite this, we all strive to keep the characters and story grounded in the emotional truth of being a teenager, like being the new kid in school or being possessed by the spirit of your girlfriend’s Grammy with the sole purpose of building a spaghetti waterfall.

 

ZOMBIES: The Re-Animated Series

What would you say is the most challenging aspect of creating ZOMBIES: The Re-Animated Series?

Jack: Having so many great characters, it’s hard to sometimes service all of them in our stories. We’ve come to love our cast and sometimes it’s difficult to decide which characters to focus on.

Aliki: I wish I had Eliza’s cloning device, because I want to be at all our meetings and help with drawings and designs at the same time. I want to be involved in every aspect of the production, but as EPs we have to make hard choices about where we spend our time.

 

The show certainly had an unusual path to production, first appearing as a series of shorts and then being greenlit to series. How did that impact the project as a whole?

Jack: It was very tricky at first. We were trying to produce the shorts while also getting the ball rolling on the series, and it seemed like we were trying to do everything simultaneously. It took a total team effort — from writing to production to design to art and animation — to get everything done on time. Our team mantra has become, “We did the things we were supposed to do,” and that was only possible because of the talent, passion and hard work of every member of our crew.

 

 

ZOMBIES: The Re-Animated Series
This past year has been a bit of a rocky period for TV and streaming animation. What is your take on the overall state of the industry? Do you see silver linings ahead?

Jack: It’s hard to tell the future of any industry right now, particularly because things are changing so quickly. I think we should do what we have always done, which is focus on telling good stories. It’s the only thing we can truly control.

Aliki: I totally agree; my hope is that great storytelling, which is important to children and adults alike, will endure despite the changes to the mediums in which we tell these stories.

 

ZOMBIES: The Re-Animated Series

What do you think young viewers love about the show?

Aliki: We think young viewers will love seeing the characters they already love from the franchise come to life — building on existing friendships, creating some new and interesting pairings, and even introducing some fresh, new faces! We really tried to focus on telling compelling stories that will put these beloved characters into some especially fun and ridiculous situations, and we think fans of the movies will enjoy seeing them grow in new directions.

 


ZOMBIES: The Reanimated Series premieres this Friday, June 28 at 8 p.m. EDT on Disney Channel and the next day on Disney+.

 

‘Inside Out 2’ Creates Box-Office Envy, Hits All-Time Domestic Animated Top 10

Rolling on from its record-setting second weekend, Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out 2 has already hit a new milestone at the domestic box office. Tuesday’s numbers (+$18.4 million) brought the CG sequel to $387.8 million, rocketing it into the No. 10 all-time spot for animated feature films released in North America.

Going off of Box Office Mojo’s numbers, the pic has surpassed the lifetime domestic grosses of the first Inside Out film ($356.5M, 2015); Illuminations’ Despicable Me 2 ($368M, 2013), The Secret Life of Pets ($368.6M) and Minions: The Rise of Gru ($370.3M); Pixar’s Finding Nemo ($380.8, 2003); and Sony’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse ($381.59M, 2023).

The Top 10 NorAm animation list is now: 

  1. Incredibles 2 (2018, Pixar/Disney) – $608.9M
  2. The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023, Illumination/Nintendo) – $574.9M
  3. Finding Dory (2016, Pixar/Disney) – $486.3M (Contested) The Lion King (2019, Disney) – $543.6M
  4. Frozen II (2019, Disney) – $477.4M
  5. Shrek 2 (2004, DreamWorks) – $444.85M
  6. Toy Story 4 (2019, Pixar/Disney) – $434M
  7. The Lion King (1994, Disney) – $422.8M
  8. Toy Story 3 (2010, Pixar/Disney) – $415M
  9. Frozen (2013, Disney) – $400.95M
  10. Inside Out 2 (2024, Pixar/Disney – $387.8M and counting

Inside Out 2 also pulled in another $19.6M from overseas territories yesterday. Top markets through the weekend to Tuesday are Mexico ($68.4M), U.K. ($31.1M), Korea ($30.4M), Brazil ($23.3M), Italy ($22.4M), Germany ($19M), Argentina ($16M), Spain ($15.7M), France ($14.9M), Australia ($13.8M) and China ($12.5M), where Maoyan predicts a $33.4M final cume (150% more than Inside Out. The pic has yet to open in Japan.

Box-office watchers are confident the sequel is on track to pass $1 billion worldwide, outpacing Inside Out‘s global total of $859M.

The film is currently rated 90% on Rotten Tomatoes (96% Audience Score), with a 73 on Metacritic (7.7/10 user score) and an ‘A’ CinemaScore.

Directed by Kelsey Mann in his feature film debut, Inside Out 2 picks up with a now-teenage Riley (voiced by Kensington Tallman) and her Emotions (Amy Poehler, Lewis Black and Phyllis Smith returning with Lia Lapira and Tony Hale joining), who are thrown for a loop when brand-new feelings including Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos) and Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser) take over HQ.

[Sources: Deadline, Box Office Mojo]

BFI Announces Details of LAIKA: FRAME X FRAME Exhibition

The BFI (British Film Institute) today announced details of LAIKA: FRAME x FRAME, a free exhibition that will showcase the art and science behind the Oregon studio’s five animated feature films, at BFI Southbank in London from August 12 –  October 1, 2024. This narrative-rich experience will honor LAIKA’s big-screen stories and the exceptional detail in the physical puppets, sets, costumes and props which brought them to life — some never before seen in public, from LAIKA’s production archives.

The exhibition will invite audiences to step inside, as well as behind, the scenes of LAIKA’s films — all of which were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Each film will be celebrated with one key frame within the exhibition surrounded by a constellation of artifacts, encompassing illustrated concept and character design, artistic inspirations, storyboards, costumes, puppets, props, sets and dynamic digital content. Additional cabinets and drawers will allow guests to unlock even more treasures

Coraline
Concept art for Coraline’s Other Garden

New scenic reproductions, built at a ‘human scale’, will transport guests from the real world into Coraline’s Other Garden as they enter the exhibition, with highlights of the over 700 individual artifacts on display inside, including:

  • Coraline (2009): Character puppets, including Coraline, Cat, Other Father, Other Wybie, Taffy Monster and the Scottie dogs; early look development maquettes of Coraline, Cat, Wybie, Other Father and Other Mother; paint test maquettes of Spink and Forcible; Other Mother puppet development pieces; Other World bridge, garden gate, nose tree and mantis tractor props; plus Real World and Other World Pink Palace apartment props.
  • ParaNorman (2012): Zombie puppets alongside their Puritan counterparts, a Norman armature, Norman maquettes, Neil, Alvin and Salma puppets, Aggie Prendergast paint tests and development pieces, a Town Hall cupola set piece and a scaled prop of Mitch Downe’s van.
  • The Boxtrolls (2014): Puppets of Eggs, Winnie, Snatcher and boxtrolls Fish and Shoe, along with early development maquettes of Eggs, Winnie, Snatcher, Fish and other boxtrolls; the film’s pneumatic tubes set; plus the Cheese Guild, Market Square and cavern props.
  • Kubo and the Two Strings (2016): Puppets including Kubo, Moon Beast, Monkey and Origami Samurai; plus Kubo and Monkey development maquettes; VFX character puppets and maquettes; a Taiko Drummer diorama; and the Central Avenue set and market props.
  • Missing Link (2019): Puppets and maquettes of Sir Lionel Frost, Mr. Link and Adelina; plus Link and Yeti puppets on rig; the Pullman Train internal set; Pullman Train development maquettes; environment maquettes and other film props.
  • A sneak peek at LAIKA’s forthcoming sixth feature, Wildwood (2025).
Cavern concept art from 'The Boxtrolls'
Cavern concept art from ‘The Boxtrolls’

The exhibition is presented alongside Stop Motion: Celebrating Hand-Crafted Animation on the Big Screen, supported by Headline Partner LAIKA, a major new season taking place at BFI Southbank from  August 1 – October 9, with free film screenings for children under 16.

Titles playing on the big screen will include LAIKA’s five films to date, from the newly remastered 3D Coraline (2009) to Missing Link (2019), plus King Kong (1933), Jason and the Argonauts (1963), Chicken Run (2001), Corpse Bride (2005), Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), Anomalisa (2015), and many more. Special guests in venue will include filmmakers Henry Selick (Coraline), Chris Butler and Sam Fell (ParaNorman), Guillermo del Toro (Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio), Peter Lord (Chicken Run), Nick Park (Wallace & Gromit), The Brothers Quay (Street of Crocodiles), Suzie Templeton (Peter and the Wolf), Barry Purves (Achilles), Osbert Parker (Clothes) and further names to be announced.

Tickets for BFI Southbank screenings and LAIKA’s free exhibition in August are on sale to BFI Patrons from July 1, BFI Members from July 2 and to the general public from July 4. Tickets for BFI Southbank screenings and LAIKA’s free exhibition in September and early October are on sale to BFI Patrons from August 5, BFI Members from August 6 and to the general public from 8 August.

Pullman Train concept art from 'Missing Link'
Pullman Train concept art from ‘Missing Link’

‘Bluey Minisodes’ Ready to Play with Official Trailer

Today, Disney Branded Television unveiled the trailer for Bluey Minisodes. The first seven episodes will begin streaming Wednesday, July 3, on Disney+ at 12 a.m. PDT and rolling out on Disney Jr. and Disney Channel throughout the week, and streaming on Disney+.

The collection of one- to three-minute Bluey Minisodes is written by Bluey creator Joe Brumm and produced by Australia’s Ludo Studio. The stories highlight funny and sweet moments featuring Bluey and Bingo, leaning into playful interactions and games that further explore the characters and world of Bluey.

The episodes releasing from July 3 are:

  • “Burger Dog” – The kids want to dance to some annoying music but Dad pretends his battery on his phone is flat until Mum phones him.
  • “Bingo 3000” – Dad has bought a brand new “Bingo 3000” robot, but it’s not working, so he has to call technical support.
  • “Muffin Unboxing” – Stripe is filming Muffin unboxing a dump truck toy, but Muffin is struggling to stay focused.
  • “Letter” – Nana reads an old story that Bandit wrote from when he was five. The kids find this hilarious as Nana is reading out the words exactly as they are spelt.
  • “Hungry” – Dad is hungry so he pretends to eat Bluey.
  • “Three Pigs” – Dad retells the story of the three little pigs. In this version the pigs and the wolf eventually become friends.
  • “Animals” – Mum is playing the animal game on Bingo’s back. She pretends Bingo’s back is a big field, and various animals walk, jump and dart across it, making Bingo laugh.

The second batch of Bluey Minisodes will premiere on platforms later this year, followed by the final batch in 2025.

Bluey was the No. 1 most-watched series on streaming last quarter among total viewers in the U.S. (per Nielsen Media Research, U.S. data [1/1/24-3/31/24]). The series follows Bluey, a lovable and inexhaustible blue heeler dog who lives with her Mum, Dad and little sister, Bingo.

Produced by the multiple Emmy Award-winning Ludo Studio for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and BBC Studios Kids & Family, the series airs and streams to U.S. and global audiences (outside of Australia, New Zealand and China) across Disney Channel, Disney Jr. and Disney+ through a global broadcasting deal between BBC Studios Kids & Family and Disney Branded Television.

Crunchyroll Announces ‘Demon Slayer’ Hashira Training Arc Dubs

Aniplex of America’s critically acclaimed anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc will be dubbed in English, Latin American Spanish, Portuguese, German, and many more. To coincide with the premiere of the climatic finale of this chapter for the popular franchise, fans will be able to watch the series in these languages on Sunday, June 30 at 21:30 BST, exclusively on Crunchyroll.

The hour-long special episode will be available with subtitles in English, French, German, Latin American Spanish, Portuguese and Russian.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc ©Koyoharu Gotoge / SHUEISHA, Aniplex, ufotable

Returning to reprise their roles in English-language version are:

  • Zach Aguilar as Tanjiro Kamado
  • Abby Trott as Nezuko Kamado
  • Aleks Le as Zenitsu Agatsuma
  • Bryce Papenbrook as Inosuke Hashibira
  • Johnny Yong Bosch as Giyu Tomioka
  • Ray Chase as Tengen Uzui
  • Griffin Burns as Muichiro Tokito
  • Erika Harlacher as Shinobu Kocho
  • Kira Buckland as Mitsuri Kanroji
  • Erik Scott Kimerer as Obanai Iguro
  • Kaiji Tang as Sanemi Shinazugawa
  • Crispin Freeman as Gyomei Himejima

Dubs for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc have been produced in Latin-American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Italian and Castilian Spanish dubs will be produced at a later date.

Synopsis: To the Hashira Training… The members of the Demon Slayer Corps and their highest-ranking swordsmen, the Hashira. In preparation for the forthcoming final battle against Muzan Kibutsuji, the Hashira Training commences. While each carry faith and determination within their hearts, Tanjiro and the Hashira enter a new story.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc ©Koyoharu Gotoge / SHUEISHA, Aniplex, ufotable

The Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba TV series, which debuted in 2019, along with the Entertainment District Arc (2021), the Swordsmith Village Arc (2023), Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train (2020) and the first few episodes of the Hashira Training Arc (2024) are all currently available to stream on Crunchyroll.

ASIFA-Hollywood’s First Short ‘Jasmine’ Hits the Animation Festival Circuit

Jasmine, the first short film created by animation professional organization ASIFA-Hollywood, is kicking off its film festival run this month. The 2D-animated short is based on the writings of a young girl named Jasmine, depicted in the film, who lives through the events of the Syrian Civil War. The conflict began in 2011 and continues today, causing the deaths of more than half a million people and the displacement of millions more.

“The desire to tackle this sensitive subject through a child’s perspective was what compelled everyone involved in making this film.” says the film’s director, Tom Caulfield. “Though the future of Syria and its inhabitants is unresolved, we wanted this film to offer hope and peace for its future.”

Jasmine‘s creative team includes: Direction & story by Tom Caulfield (director, Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure, Tangled: Before Ever After / story artist, Zootopia 2; Wish; Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken; Orion and the Dark / animator, The Illusionist, The Secret of Kells); co-director Dave Baas; music and sound by Judith Gruber-Stitzer (Animal Behavior, Wild Life, When the Day Breaks, Two Sisters); written by Charles Solomon (New York Times, Rolling Stone, LA Times, Variety, Animation Magazine and ASIFA-Hollywood Board member); and produced by Aubry Mintz, ASIFA-Hollywood’s Interim Executive Director; with executive producers Frank Gladstone (ASIFA-Hollywood Vice President), Mark Jones (Sheridan College Dean of the Faculty of Animation, Arts & Design), and production management by Leslie Ezeh (ASIFA-Hollywood Director of Operations).

Animation, backgrounds, compositing and effects were provided by the artists from Seneca School of Creative Arts & Animation Summer Institute in Toronto.

“We are all incredibly proud of ASIFA-Hollywood’s first film production” says Mintz. “We hope this film will give its audience more compassion and empathy for all of those affected by devastation during times of war.”

The film was completed in 2023.

Jasmine is currently slated to play at the following film and animation festivals:

Official ‘Batman: Caped Crusader’ Trailer Steps Out of the Shadows

Batman Caped Crusader

Today, Prime Video released the official trailer for the highly anticipated new animated series from Warner Bros. Animation, Bad Robot Productions and 6th & Idaho, Batman: Caped CrusaderThe series will be available to stream exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide beginning on Thursday, August 1.

As previously announced, the series stars Hamish Linklater (Midnight MassThe Big Short) as Batman/Bruce Wayne, Christina Ricci (Yellowjackets, The Lizzie Borden Chronicles) as Catwoman/Selina Kyle, Jamie Chung (Stone Cold Fox, Junction) as Harley Quinn/Dr. Harleen Quinzel and Diedrich Bader (Harley Quinn, Better Things) as Harvey Dent/Two-Face, along with a star-studded ensemble cast, including: Minnie Driver, Mckenna Grace, Eric Morgan Stuart, Michelle C. Bonilla, Krystal Joy Brown, John DiMaggio, Paul Scheer, Reid Scott, Tom Kenny, Jason Watkins, Gary Anthony Williams, Dan Donohue, David Krumholtz, Haley Joel Osment and Toby Stephens.

Batman: Caped Crusader - First Look

Synopsis: Welcome to Gotham City, where the corrupt outnumber the good, criminals run rampant and law-abiding citizens live in a constant state of fear. Forged in the fire of tragedy, wealthy socialite Bruce Wayne becomes something both more and less than human — the Batman. His one-man crusade attracts unexpected allies within the GCPD and City Hall, but his heroic actions spawn deadly, unforeseen ramifications.

The series is a reimagining of the Batman mythology through the visionary lens of executive producers J.J. Abrams, Matt Reeves and Bruce Timm.

Based on DC characters, Batman: Caped Crusader hails from Warner Bros. Animation, Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions and Reeves’ 6th & Idaho. Along with Abrams, Reeves and Timm, executive producers on the 2D-animated, adult-targeted series include Ed Brubaker, James Tucker, Daniel Pipski, Rachel Rusch Rich and Sam Register.