Press Release from Aardman Rights

Bristol, 20 May 2009. Leading independent distributor Aardman Rights has concluded a number of new licensing deals for its brand new preschool series TIMMY TIME, which has made a hugely successful debut on CBeebies in the UK.

In Central and Eastern Europe, Regio is on board as toy partner for TIMMY TIME in Hungary where Minimax has the broadcast rights. Also One 2 Play is managing all rights to the property in ex-Yugoslavia.

Adult Swim announced its newest series, TITAN MAXIMUM, from the creators of ROBOT CHICKEN. Created by ROBOT CHICKEN producer/co-head writer/director Tom Root and ROBOT CHICKEN exec producer/co-creator/writer/director Matthew Senreich, TITAN MAXIMUM uses stop-motion animation to spoof '80s action cartoons. The series will premiere this September.

Stop-motion animation studio Aardman has begun production on their next two animated feature length motion-pictures, ARTHUR CHRISTMAS and PIRATES!. Both films are to be released worldwide by Sony Pictures.

PIRATES! will be produced in Aardman's house style of hand-crafted modeling clay, while ARTHUR CHRISTMAS will be co-produced with Sony Pictures Imageworks in CGI.

Puppet building, puppet animation fundamentals, and a "how to" intro to independent stop motion. Sunday, April 26th, 2009. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the TAIS Studio, 60 Atlantic Avenue $35 members, $50 non-members (Pre-registration required). To register, contact the TAIS office at tais@bellnet.ca or by calling 416-533-7889.

Day 2 of Red Stick, and the multiple events begin. Oh for the power of Dr. Manhattan to split myself up into several Joes so as to cover everything, but all I can manage is to run to and fro, capturing a taste of this and that.

School of Visual Arts (SVA) presents a conversation with stop-motion animators the Brothers Quay titled "The Pharmacist's Prescription for Lip-Reading Puppets" as part of the Art in the First Person lecture series. Moderated by SVA faculty member Thyrza Goodeve, the Quay Brothers will discuss their work in film and theater including their forthcoming feature SANATORIUM UNDER THE SIGN OF THE HOURGLASS. The event will take place on Thursday, April 2 at 6:30pm in the Visual Arts Theater (333 West 23 Street) and is free and open to the public. "The Pharmacist's Prescription for Lip-Reading Puppets" is co-presented by the BFA Fine Arts, BFA Visual and Critical Studies and MFA Art Criticism and Writing Departments at SVA. Visit www.sva.edu for more information. American identical twins working in London, the Brothers Quay find their inspiration in Eastern European literature and classical music and art. Their work is distinguished by its dark humor and an uncanny feeling for color and texture. Masters of miniaturization, they turn their tiny sets into unforgettable worlds suggestive of long-repressed childhood dreams. According to THE NEW YORK TIMES, the primary work of the Quay Brothers "is the arcane and highly specialized art of puppet animation. Yet what they accomplish in the nightmarish shorts for which they are best known is closer to the medieval practice of alchemy than to any identifiable modern pursuit." Born in Pennsylvania in 1947, Stephen and Timothy Quay studied illustration in Philadelphia before attending the Royal College of Art in London. They began making animated shorts in the 1970s and are best known for their classic 1986 film STREET OF CROCODILES, which filmmaker Terry Gilliam selected as one of the ten best animated films of all time. Their recent work includes IN ABSENTIA, an award-winning collaboration with Karlheinz Stockhausen; four short films made in collaboration with composer Steve Martland for a live event at the Tate Modern in London; and THE PIANO TUNER OF EARTHQUAKES, their second full-length feature, which premiered at the Locarno Film Festival in 2005. The Brothers Quay have directed music videos for His Name is Alive, Michael Penn, Sparklehorse, 16 Horsepower, and Peter Gabriel (contributing to his celebrated "Sledgehammer" video), and have also directed commercials for, among others, MTV, Nikon, Murphy's beer and Slurpee. The Quay Brothers' work also includes set design for theater and opera, including their 1998 Tony-nominated work for the acclaimed Broadway revival of Ionesco's THE CHAIRS.

Firebox.com has teamed up with Aardman Animations -- the creators of Morph -- to launch an animation competition entitled Morphmation. Inspired by the popular Make your Own Morph product that the gift e-tailer sells, Firebox will be encouraging Morph lovers to send in their two-minute stop-motion animations starring the lovable clay figure.

LAIKA, the Portland-based animation studio whose first feature film, CORALINE, was released by Focus Features on February 6, has announced that Travis Knight has been named President and CEO of the company. Knight, the son of LAIKA's owner Philip H. Knight, succeeds Dale Wahl, who has held the position since 2005. Travis Knight, who sits on the LAIKA Board and has been Head of Animation since 2007, was one of the lead animators on CORALINE, the first stop-motion animated feature film to be produced in 3-D.

The costumes from Universal Pictures' FROST/NIXON and Focus Features' MILK are now on display along with props from Universal Pictures' HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY at Universal Studios Hollywood's "The Universal Experience: Behind the Scenes of Universal Pictures."

Fans of Guillermo del Toro's HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY, Oscar nominated for Best Makeup - Mike Elizalde, Thom Floutz, can preview an eclectic display of the original prosthetic masks and props and costumes featured in the film.

Henry Selick chats up Coraline and the state of stop-motion and 3-D with AWN.