‘Archer’ Actress Jessica Walter Dies at 80
The voice of Malory Archer, the FXX hit show’s acerbic, biting, and hilariously strident spymaster, also known for her work as matriarch Lucille Bluth on ‘Arrested Development,’ passes away at her New York home.
Voodoo Highway: Navigating the Music of Kids’ Animation
For composers and partners Graeme Cornies, James Chapple, and Brian Pickett, scoring for shows like ‘Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood’ and ‘Bakugan’ is more than mere child’s play.
Renderro Now Offering Cloud-Based Workstation Collaboration
Founder Piotr Chomczyk discusses his new visual artist and team cloud workplace that provides high-performance computers for real-time media sharing on animation and VFX projects.
WIA Launches 2021 Spring Mentorship Program
Women in Animation continues to expand its annual program by partnering with Black N’Animated, LatinX in Animation, and Rise Up Animation for special focus on mentoring women of color; mentee application submissions begin March 31.
BFI and BAFTA Issue Action List to Fight Workplace Bullying, Harassment, and Racism
Guidance outlines employers legal and ethical responsibilities; new suite of The Film and TV Charity services provides immediate support for victims.
‘Soul’ Takes Home Producers Guild Award
Dana Murray wins for outstanding producer of animated theatrical motion pictures; ‘Queen’s Gambit’ wins in limited series TV category.
iPi Motion Capture Gets Unreal Engine Real-Time Integration
New plug-in lets users stream tracking directly to Unreal Engine; users can see in real-time how motion will look in 3D setting.
Teradici Announces CAS Manager Enhancements
Included in CAS enterprise subscriptions, update provides support for the increasing use of remote desktops and workstations; more concurrent sessions can now be deployed at a higher throughput.
The Spirit of Bakshi Returns in ‘The Spine of Night’
Directors Philip Gelatt and Morgan Galen King’s raucous new rotoscoped fantasy epic takes us back to the days when animated tales of swords and sorcerers didn’t always have fairy tale endings.
TAAFI 2021 Announces Online Festival Program Line-Up
Virtual program running March 24-27 will showcase over 100 animated features and shorts; online screenings of animated features include ‘Wolfwalkers,’ ‘Nahuel and the Magic Book,’ ‘Violence Voyager,’ and Sony Pictures’ classic hit ‘Heavy Metal.’
Crunchyroll Announces Spring 2021 Anime Line-Up
More than 25 series set to stream in Spring 2021; new line-up promises a host of fan favorites, new and old, including Crunchyroll originals and exclusives.
Re-VIEW: Madeline Sharafian’s Pixar Short, ‘Burrow’
If the goal of the studio’s SparkShorts incubator program is to identify young artists who have directing potential, then producing this wonderful film was an overwhelming success.
Next PreVIEW Set: ‘CG Tornados, Jet Engines and Cows - the VFX of Twister’
Join a free conversation with a panel of the famed VFX practitioners and filmmakers behind Jan De Bont’s 1996 disaster thriller and Oscar nominee for Best Visual Effects; April 8 event will include an audience Q&A.
WATCH: Scoring Netflix’s Fantasy Spy Mystery ‘Secret Magic Control Agency’
For composer Gabriel Hays, the new CG film’s merging of fairy tale and spy thriller storytelling let him explore themes of uncertainty, adventure, and discovery to create a score that is fun, whimsical, and has heart.
‘Barbie & Chelsea The Lost Birthday’ Hits Netflix April 16
All-new CG animated TV movie features Barbie’s younger sister Chelsea on a quest to save her birthday; ‘Barbie & Chelsea The Lost Birthday & More!’ album featuring music from the film also drops April 16 on digital outlets.
Autodesk Unveils Maya, 3ds Max and MotionBuilder 2022
Flagship product updates include powerful new functionality and tools like the much anticipated USD plugin for Maya.
‘Bluey’ Easter Special Debuts April 4 on Disney Junior
The popular preschool series from Down Under features the family adventures of ‘Bluey,’ a Blue Heeler pup, her sister Bingo, and her Mum and Dad.
Jon Batiste to Host ‘Soul’ Virtual Jazz Concert Celebrating Film’s Retail Release
Fans are invited to a special event featuring the music of ‘Soul’ hosted by the famed Jazz composer and musician, marking today’s home entertainment release on Digital, 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD; Disney and Pixar’s virtual concert premieres March 25.
‘My Little Pony: Pony Life’ Returns for Season 2 on Discovery Family
Premiering April 10, eOne’s 2D animated kids’ series again follows the Mane 6 riding out life’s challenges and solving them together with friendship, magic, and laughs.
‘Black Widow’ to Hit Theatres and Disney+ Premier Simultaneously
Release of highly anticipated Marvel tentpole pushed to July 9; ‘Cruella’ gets May 28 dual launch, while Disney / Pixar’s ‘Luca’ is now scheduled for an exclusive Disney+ release on June 18.
Hulu Greenlights Justin Roiland and Michael Cusack’s ‘Koala Man’
The ‘Rick and Morty’ and ‘Solar Opposites’ co-creator teams with ‘YOLO: Crystal Fantasy’s creator on a new family animated comedy about an Aussie dad living a not too secret life as a suburban superhero – he has no powers, but he does have passion!
Ataboy Kicks a Goal for LA Galaxy Fans
Studio's 2D animated short, ‘Amor Eterno’ pairs the sunny LA energy to a warm, congenial animation style; spot pays homage to the teams’ local fans and the community surrounding the club.
Games Workshop Names Finn Arnesen Head of Entertainment Development
Group taps former Hasbro Studios exec to expand the company’s extensive ‘Warhammer’ IP with new live-action and animated content; three animated shows are nearing completion with a half dozen still under development.
Animafest Zagreb 2021 Announces Official Selections
Festival releases list of entries chosen to compete in short film, student film, and Croatian film categories; annual festival takes place June 7-12.