Press Release from Hawaii Film Partners

HONOLULU, HAWAII - Hawaii Film Partners and Toonzone Studios will bring three animated television series to KidScreen Summit 2010 -- GUARDIANS OF THE POWER MASKS  (trailer),  ACTION DAD (pilot episode), and APE ESCAPE (38 episodes). Attending KidScreen will be and Rann and Gina Watumull of Hawaii Film Partners, David Jackson of Hawaii Film Partners and Showcase for Kids, and Konnie Kwak, President and CEO of Toonzone Studios who co-produces these series with Hawaii Film Partners. Showcase for Kids distributes Hawaii Film Partners’ film and television children’s projects internationally.

GUARDIANS OF THE POWER MASKS

GUARDIANS OF THE POWER MASKS marks an historic international partnership with Honolulu-based Hawaii Film Partners, the City of Changzhou in the People’s Republic of China, and the Gangwon Information Multimedia Corporation (GIMC) in South Korea to produce an original animated TV series.

GUARDIANS OF THE POWER MASKS is a 26 half-hour episode high energy, beautifully animated show packed with action, adventure and comedy along with valuable life lessons that the kids discover along the way.  The television series is executive produced by Hawaii Film Partners Rann Watumull, Gina Watumull, David Jackson and Shauna Shapiro Jackson; and Heung-Soo Park, President of GIMC. Producer is Konnie Kwak, President and CEO of Toonzone Studios in Los Angeles.

Annie is a typical high energy American girl who loves to sing, dance, hang out with friends and shop.  She is forced to spend the summer with her grandmother Nainai and cousin Yong in rustic, Singing Rocks, China. Little does Annie know that a construction project has opened a once sealed portal to the twilight realm.  Annie discovers that she and her cousin come from a long line of warriors who battle evil forces that emerge from the twilight realm. Worlds and cultures apart, the two, under Nainai's mentoring, must learn to not only get along, but also fight the evil forces. Through the power masks, which increase the abilities of the wearer by ten times, the two, along with grandma's cat, are transformed into mighty warriors.  The clashes of cultures and assorted villains lead to many funny and harrowing adventures.

“We’re thrilled with the rich imagery, beautiful scenery and great characters that give GUARDIANS OF THE POWER MASKS a very vibrant look and enhance the adventure and excitement of the series,” says executive producer and Hawaii Film Partners’ Rann Watumull.  “There is a delightful clashing and blending of cultures and customs in the series, all done in an entertaining way -- from the story and adventures of the characters, to the wonderful music.  It certainly is entertainment that will appeal to 'tweens and indeed the whole family here in America, Asia as well as the rest of the world.”

GUARDIANS OF THE POWER MASKS truly was an international endeavor with the writing and storyboarding being a creative collaboration of the three producing partners in Hawaii, South Korea and China, and with Hawaii Film Partners and Toonzone Studios overseeing the entire process.  Rann Watumull also served as the series’ story editor and co-director.  Basic animation is being done in China at the Changzhou Carloon TV & Film Animation Industry Company at the Changzhou National Animation Industry Park two hours outside Shanghai, and at the Gagwon Information Multi-Media Corporation (GIMC) studios in South Korea.

Hawaii Film Partners retains all rights across all media throughout the world excluding Asia. Showcase Entertainment will exclusively distribute the animated TV series in these territories under their arrangement with Hawaii Film Partners.  The City of Changzhou will retain all rights in China, and GIMC will retain all rights throughout the rest of Asia.

ACTION DAD

ACTION DAD is 26 half-hour animated television episodes filled with comedy, adventure and lots of fun-filled action produced by Hawaii Film Partners and Toonzone Studios.