TWO BOOKS FOR WINTER READING
Now that the holidays are over it’s time to settle back and do some reading I enjoyed.
The DC Universe Expands with All New Animated Shorts Showcase
Short films will star popular DC characters including Kamandi, The Losers, Blue Beetle, and Constantine; ‘Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth!’ to be first short released as bonus feature on ‘Justice Society: World War II’ in Spring 2021.
New ‘SpongeBob’ Movie and ‘Kamp Koral’ Spin-off to Debut on Paramount+
'The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge On The Run’ and ‘Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years’ will premiere on March 4 with the launch of Paramount+, ViacomCBS’ rebrand of their CBS All Access streaming platform.
Watch: Opening Scene of Studio Ghibli’s ‘Earwig and the Witch’
The famed Japanese animation studio recently took to Twitter to debut the opening 2 ½ minutes of their upcoming 3D/CG animated movie, directed by Goro Miyazaki and featuring the voice of Kacey Musgraves.
The Charming, Tiny Hero’s Journey of ‘The Snail and the Whale’
Max Lang and Daniel Snaddon are back with an enchanting stop-motion / CG tale about a most unlikely pair taking a sea-going trip of a lifetime.
Netflix and Creative Duo Roger Black and Waco O’Guin Tie the Knot
New multi-year creative partnership kicks off with the commission of a new animated sci-fi series ‘Farzar;’ long-time team previously created Comedy Central’s ‘Brickleberry’ and Netflix’s ‘Paradise PD.’
Da Vinci Kids Picks Up Imira Entertainment’s ‘Darwin & Newt’
Global edutainment media company signs deal for STEM-based animated series; kids worldwide can tune in on popular digital and linear platforms.
Finding Light in the Darkness - Four Films by the NFB: Altötting, I, Barnabé, 4 North A, and The Great Malaise
The tumult of our current lives will pass - art remains a beacon of hope amidst the chaos, exemplified by four new animated short films from the National Film Board of Canada.
Now Available: ‘Gundam’ Limited-Edition Loot Crate Series
The first of the bi-monthly 4-crate collections pays tribute to ‘Mobile Suit Gundam Wing’ with a curated selection of exclusive lifestyle goods and gear.
‘Game of Thrones’ May Get the Animated Treatment
The rumored series is just one of many ‘GOT’ extended universe projects being considered for HBO Max, with no creative team currently on board.
Disney’s Immersive, Interactive ‘Baymax Dreams’ Short Premieres at Sundance
Studio’s first interactive episode, part of the festival’s New Frontier Gallery, uses interactive cloud streaming technology to enable seamless interaction and high-end graphics on mobile platforms.
1stAveMachine Creates Animated Stop-Smoking PSAs for CTCP
Studio’s anti-smoking campaign for the California Tobacco Control Program uses powerful 2D visuals to follow the transitional journey of ‘Jackson,’ a habitual smoker, as he literally emerges from a cloud of smoke.
WATCH: Baobab Studio’s ‘Namoo’ Teaser Trailer
Directed by Erick Oh and inspired by his grandfather, the studio’s new immersive animated film premieres today at the Sundance Film Festival; the narrative poem thoughtfully reflects on the meaningful moments in one man’s life.
‘Big Hero 6 The Series’ Finale Coming February 15
The animated series will continue to air on Disney channels worldwide; watch the voice cast reminisce about their characters and favorite memories from the show.
‘RollerCoaster Tycoon Touch’ Gets A Flock of Wooly Aardman Friends
Award-winning animation studio joins forces with Atari to bring ‘Shaun the Sheep’ to popular mobile game; players can customize their parks with hilarious rides and attractions featuring faces from the popular animated series.
4 European film festivals join forces online: New streaming portal THIS IS SHORT launches in April
On April 1, 2021, the European Short Film Network will launch a newly developed online portal - THIS IS SHORT
Academy Announces 27 Animated Features Eligible for Oscar Consideration
Members will vote to determine five nominees for best animated feature film award; films also qualify for other categories including best picture.
Netflix Announces ‘The Witch Boy’ Animated Musical Feature
Oscar-nominated director Minkyu Lee to helm, with original music by Haim.
Fred Rogers Productions Names Olubunmi Mia Olufemi Supervising Producer
Peabody Award-winning producer to supervise all phases of production for new animated series, ‘Alma’s Way;’ show will launch fall 2021 on PBS KIDS.
Puppet Animation Scotland’s MANIPULATE Festival Runs January 29 - February 7
An international celebration of woman in animation, the digital program will include ‘ANIMATED HIGHLIGHTS: 2021’ curated by the Edinburgh Short Film Festival, and ‘Animated Womxn,’ a woman-led showcase of stop-frame and VFX work from the animated film industry.
16 Finalists From Unreal Engine Short Film Challenge Revealed
Stunning array of shorts, selected from across Australia in Epic’s first Unreal Engine Short Film Challenge, were all completed in just six weeks during the pandemic, and showcase Unreal’s virtual production capabilities and how the platform is enabling increasingly sophisticated creativity.
Nelvana’s Nelnet Wins Technology & Engineering Emmy
The company’s cloud-based platform assists animation production for long-form 3D and 2D digital formats in which tasks, tools, and production assets are distributed to crewmembers and stakeholders around the world.
The Animation Pimp: Deviated Preverts or Making ‘Toomas Beneath the Valley of the Wild Wolves’
Chris Robinson reflects on the epic ‘handyman’ we first came to know and love in ‘Manivald,’ talking various absurdities with filmmakers Chintis Lundgren and Draško Ivezić.
‘Skull Island’ and ‘Tomb Raider’ Anime Series in Development at Netflix
Adding to their extensive slate of previously announced anime projects, Netflix has greenlit two new series, from Legendary Television, based on hugely popular film and game franchises.
‘Mobile Suit Gundam’ Now Streaming on Crunchyroll
Also known as ‘Mobile Suit Gundam 0079,’ the series complements the 10+ ‘Gundam’ titles currently available on the anime platform; all episodes are in both English dub and subtitles.
