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Robotboy Gets Assembled on Toon Boom Opus

Toon Boom Animation announced that its software will be use to complete Alphanims ROBOTBOY and an educational series from Sophia Hilton Foundation of Canada in collaboration with the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute and the Madras Craft Foundation.

Alphanim chose Toon Boom Opus for the production of ROBOTBOY, a series of 52 13-minute episodes. Co-produced with Cartoon Network Europe, France 3 and split among LuxAnimation (Luxemburg), Emation (Korea) and Monigotes (Spain), this traditional animation production is scheduled for primetime broadcast in the U.S.

"Opus enables us to maintain a high-quality level throughout the entire production process and facilitate the production coordination between all parties involved. With the scanning, animation, ink-and-paint and compositing shared among Emation, Monigotes and LuxAnimation, we needed to use a robust, reliable and high-performance tool," shared Jean-Pierre Quenet, director of operations at Alphanim.

ROBOTBOY follows a cute, cutting-edge, butt-kicking battle robot who dreams of becoming a real boy. Created by world-renowned scientist Professor Moshimo, Robotboy has the ability to superactivate into a fighting machine capable of destroying entire armies. This attracts the attention of Dr. Kamikazi a hopelessly deluded "evil genius" intent on harnessing Robotboy's powers to enslave the world. So Moshimo sends Robotboy far away to live with his number one fan, Tommy Turnbull, in the peaceful Bay Area. But Dr Kamikazi continues to plot and scheme, creating mutant clone armies to capture Robotboy. And so it is up to Tommy and his two best friends, Gus and Lola, to keep the world's most powerful fighting robot out of harm's way, as well as teaching him what it truly means to be a real boy.

Sophia Hilton Foundation of Canada, the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute and the Madras Craft Foundation are joining forces to produce an animated folk epic from southern India. Studios in Canada and India will use Toon Boom Harmony to complete this project, which includes 52 12-minute episodes.

"The intent is to produce an educational product that communicates the richness and depth of traditional Indian storytelling while also incorporating a wealth of rural cultural nuances. The initial production will be in English, but sound tracks in several local Indian languages are also planned," said Brenda Beck, president, the Sophia Hilton Foundation of Canada.

The Annanmar Katai or Story of the Brothers is a regional story that depicts three generations in a land-owning family that once ruled a substantial local territory. The heroes attempt to protect their lands from various external threats and undergo many trials and tests in the process. They are backed by the women of the family and aided by a variety of semi-magical animals. The epic encompasses an entire tapestry of smaller stories.

"We truly admire Indian culture and are deeply touched to be part of this wonderful project. We wanted to ensure the production team had the opportunity to use the most advanced animation technology to create a project of the highest quality," said Joan Vogelesang, president/ceo at Toon Boom.

Toon Boom is a world-leading supplier of animation technology. Toon Boom Animation Inc. carries several leading animation products, including Opus, Harmony and Toon Boom Studio. Toon Boom also offers consulting and training services dedicated to increasing animation production efficiency and quality. For additional information, visit www.toonboom.com.

Founded in 1997 by Christian Davin, Alphanim (www.alphanim.com) produces and distributes animated series and features. Its catalogue, nearing this year 550 half-hours of quality animation programs, confirms Alphanims position as a European leader in the industry.

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Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
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