Imaginary Forces Names Anthony Gibbs Creative Director
New hire brings extensive design and VFX experience to the role, having spent 14+ years working as both creative and design directors.
Sony Imageworks Names Mike Ford CTO
Studio veteran and former VFX supervisor will continue to oversee software development and systems engineering teams, as well as SPI's technical infrastructure, as he moves forward on major initiatives to modernize the VFX and animated feature film pipeline.
Soundscape VR Launches Magic Mirror ‘Digital Drive-in’ Platform
Launching with special performances including The Desert Dwellers, Desert Hearts Mikey Lion, Porky, Lee Reynolds, Marbs, RYBO, and Carlo, the new, scalable VR technology brings 2D content into virtual reality with no limit to the number of music lovers who can share the experience.
New Chitose 2021 Issues Final Call for Entries
Short film submissions are due by June 30, features by July 31, for the famed Japanese ‘Airport Festival’ coming November 5-8, 2021.
Fred Rogers Productions Promotes Matthew Shiels
In addition to his legal responsibilities as director, the newly named VP of Business and Legal Affairs will also oversee licensing for the company and its brands.
3 New Animated Kids’ Comedies Coming to Netflix
‘A Tale Dark & Grimm,’ ‘Dogs in Space,’ and ‘Super Giant Robot Brothers’ will soon join the streamer’s growing lineup of children’s and family programming.
THU Returns to Portugal for Upcoming 8th Edition
After canceling last year because of COVID-19, Trojan Horse was a Unicorn will be back as an onsite event this year, running September 20-25 in Tróia.
Escape Studios Launches Virtual Work Experience Program for Teens
The free 2-day event introduces young people to career opportunities within the creative industries; program runs July 13-14 and registration is now open.
INTERNATIONAL TRICKFILM FESTIVAL (ITFS) ONLINE and FMX ONLINE 4-9 May 2021, Stuttgart, Germany
Last year ITFS was one of the first festivals to go totally online. With a year to perfect the system the 2021 edition worked seemingly flawlessly to the home viewer.
Adobe Launches Premiere Pro 'Refresh' Public Beta
Company reveals first set of updates to its flagship editing system, centered on new import / export features and streamlined header bar.
Netflix’s ‘Godzilla Singular Point’ Debuts June 24
New original ‘Godzilla’ anime series from bones and Orange combines hand-drawn and CG animation to tell the story of a grad student and an engineer brought together by a mysterious song to lead the fight against an unimaginable force.
Animation Is Film Returning to Hollywood October 22-24
AIF is back this Fall as a hybrid on-site / virtual festival after 2020 was canceled due to the pandemic; produced by GKIDS in partnership with the Annecy Festival, event embraces the highest aspirations of animation as a cinematic art form.
Animation Guild Hosting ‘Getting Started in Animation for Grads’ Virtual Q&A
The free online event features a panel of industry leaders including ‘Steven Universe’ creator Rebecca Sugar and ‘Kung Fu Panda 2’ director Jennifer Yuh Nelson; topics range from interviewing and hiring insights to social media presence and working remotely.
Arezou Art Podcast #12: Interview with Tuna Bora
Newest podcast in series features the award-winning L.A.-based, Turkish illustrator, animation director, and production designer, known for her distinctive storytelling style and diverse daily sketches.
Jetpack Acquires ‘Stella & the Starlets’
Currently in pre-production, new kids’ CG animated series created by Kate Wogan and Debbie MacDonald follows a young girl who with the help of eco-heroes, safeguards the environment for future generations.
WIA Spotlights Mentorship Successes with New Case Studies Release
Written by former AWN editor-in-chief Jennifer Wolfe, the detailed profiles share valuable and important insight into the Women in Animation initiative that continues to support and inspire the careers of numerous mentees.
NVIDIA Isaac Sim on Omniverse Now in Open Beta
New enhanced simulation platform with robotics specific extensions provides essential features for building virtual robotic worlds and experiments.
‘Beast,’ ‘People in Motion’ Lead Annecy 2021 Special Award Winners
Festival announces 12 films receiving special recognition, partner awards, or additional honors bestowed outside the Official competition.
‘Flee’ and ‘Peel’ Take Top Cristal Awards at Annecy 2021
Films by Jonas Poher Rasmussen and Samuel Patthey & Silvain Monney among 20 winners at the 45th festival edition, held both on-site and virtually, finally able to celebrate its 60th anniversary postponed from 2020 when the event was forced online due to the pandemic.
‘Masha and the Bear’s French TV Expansion Continues
Animaccord inks deals with leading French TV platforms for new content; preschool spinoff ‘Nursery Rhymes’ hits the airways in early June, with ‘Masha and The Bear’ Season 5 coming soon.
Vivi Film and Dandelooo Team Up on ‘The Upside Down River’
2D animated series, based on the children’s novel ‘La rivière à l’envers’ by Jean Claude Mourlevat, follows the quest of a young girl and the boy whose world she turns ‘Upside Down;’ production to begin late 2021 with delivery in 2023.
Trove of New Images Drop for ‘Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One’
Check out 11 new snaps showing some of the action, grim reaction, and memorable moments to come, in Warner Bros. Home Entertainment’s next entry in the DC Universe movie series, coming to Blu-ray and Digital June 22.
‘Dino Ranch’ Preschool Series Now on Disney+
Giddy Up! The popular animated show follows the Cassidy family working their farm and wrangling dinosaurs in 'pre-westoric’ times; produced by Industrial Brothers and Boat Rocker Studios, the show originally debuted on Disney Junior in January 2021.
Celebrate Juneteenth with Cartoon Network’s ‘Drawn To’ Series
Three new installments mark the end of slavery in the U.S.; episodes feature activist Ms. Opal Lee, Saniya, the first national Miss Juneteenth winner, and the ancestor of Major General Granger, who read the proclamation in Texas that declared all slaves were free.
‘Luca’ Delights with the Sounds of an Italian Summer of Fun
Director Enrico Casarosa and composer Dan Romer expertly blend 50s-60s pop music with opera and a Felliniesque vibe for a lively, energetic, and emotionally satisfying score; Disney and Pixar’s latest gem premieres today on Disney+.