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AWN Headline News

Brick by Brick Headline News

Pharrell Williams Teams with The Lego Group, Focus Features on Animated Biopic

The musician and producer will set imaginations free with a feature that ‘defies genres and expectations to transport audiences into a Lego world where anything is possible.’

careers in animation Headline News

Podcast EP 239: Andrew Chesworth Gives a Budget Breakdown Of ‘The Brave Locomotive’

By Dan Sarto | Friday, January 26, 2024 at 4:09pm

The Oscar-nominated director discusses the production of his most recent short, which has been viewed more than 7 million times on YouTube.

Tragedy in Japan Headline News

Kyoto Animation Arsonist Sentenced to Death

Shinji Aoba, who admitted to the 2019 Japanese animation studio attack, was denied a plea of ‘not guilty,’ with the Kyoto District Court determining he was ‘neither insane nor mentally incompetent at the time of the crime.’ 

mentorship programs Headline News

Dash Studio and Demo Duck Launch 2024 Motion Mentorship Program

By Dan Sarto | Friday, January 26, 2024 at 2:33pm

Applications now being accepted for 6-month, online-only program, starting next month, that will provide tutorage, advice, and connection building for young creatives in the motion design industry who identify with underrepresented communities.  

Awards Headline News

Telly Awards Organizers Launch The Collision Awards

By Dan Sarto | Friday, January 26, 2024 at 1:33pm

Entries now being accepted for new platform, the first solely dedicated to honoring all forms of animation and motion design across Marketing & Communications, Commercials, Television, Film, Experiential, Games & XR; early entry deadline set for March 8, 2024. 

indie animation Headline News

Catya Plate Brings ‘Las Nogas’ to HollyShorts

The 2023 NYC Women’s Fund Recipient, artist and filmmaker Catya Plate, brings the third short of her award-winning stop-motion animated trilogy to the festival’s monthly screening event in Los Angeles, January 31.

From the Cradle to the Screen Headline News

Hidden Gnome, Lex+Otis Team for Animated ‘Cradle’ Book Series Adaptation

A Kickstarter has been launched to fund the adaptation and give fans even greater connection to the stories, realms, and characters of Will Wight’s popular fable, with exclusive perks through donations; the grassroots fundraiser ends February 9.

Not So Invincible Headline News

‘Invincible’ Copyright Lawsuit Settles Ahead of Trial

William Crabtree, a colorist for the first 50 issues of the comic, alleged creator Robert Kirkman tricked him into surrendering his co-ownership stake in the series; the terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

More Industry Cuts Headline News

Microsoft to Layoff 1,900 Activision Blizzard, Xbox Employees

The tech giant has begun to cull workers from the newly acquired division to reduce ‘areas of overlap’ during the integration effort, with Blizzard Entertainment president Mike Ybarra also exiting the company.

That’s Not All Folks! Headline News

‘The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie’ Headed to Theaters

The sci-fi buddy action comedy, the shorts series franchise’s first fully animated feature, follows Porky and Daffy as they uncover a secret alien mind control plot; it was previously expected to debut on HBO Max and Cartoon Network but will now hit the big screen this Fall.

Crackin Good Headline News

Adult Swim Sets ‘Royal Crackers’ Season 2 Premiere

By Dan Sarto | Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 3:24pm

Watch the trailer - the network’s most watched new series of 2023, greenlit for a second season prior to its Season 1 premiere, returns next month with more dysfunctional Hornsby family fighting over the legacy of their second-rate cracker company.

Business Headline News

Netflix Nabs Streaming Rights to Studio Ponoc’s Animated Film Slate

By Dan Sarto | Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 2:13pm

The next feature from the animation house founded by Oscar-nominated former Studio Ghibli producer Yoshiaki Nishimura, ‘The Imaginary,’ will hit the streamer later this year after its theatrical run in Japan.

Do It in the Cloud Headline News

CoreWeave Releases New Native Blender Plug-In for Conductor

Plug-In offers CoreWeave users faster and easier rendering within creative environments, streamlining Conductor’s use with the open-source 3D software.

Business Headline News

Rick Mischel Acquires Yeti Farm, Launches Artists Animation Studio

The veteran animation producer and former Bardel CEO will serve as CEO of the new company, headquartered in Kelowna, British Columbia; Todd Ramsey assumes role of Head of Animation while Ashley Ramsey departs to pursue new opportunities. 

The Mothership Has Left the Station Headline News

Netflix Scraps Sci-Fi Film ‘The Mothership’ After Multiple Delays

After multiple post-production delays, the troubled feature starring Halle Berry gets shelved; story follows a family’s pursuit of the truth after discovering a strange extraterrestrial object underneath their home.

Adventures in Bikini Bottom Headline News

Gamefam and Paramount Games Drop ‘SpongeBob Simulator’ Trailer

On January 26 the nautical nonsensical universe of Nickelodeon’s ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ welcomes Roblox’s 70+ million users to adventure to the world of Bikini Bottom, free on most platforms and devices.

The Animated Future of Lagos Headline News

Six-Episode Event Series ‘Iwájú’ Headed to Disney+

The first-of-its-kind collaboration between Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pan-African entertainment company Kugali, along with a behind-the-scenes documentary, ‘Iwájú: A Day Ahead,’ debut February 28.

Terror One Frame at a Time Headline News

IFC Films Drops ‘Stopmotion’ Official Trailer

By Dan Sarto | Wednesday, January 24, 2024 at 3:34pm

Just when you thought it safe to turn your back on creepy little puppet characters while making a stop-motion film… Robert Morgan’s incredibly disturbing new horror film will give you a total case of the willies, hitting theaters February 23 before making its way to Shudder on May 31.

One Last Batch Headline News

Disney+ Drops Trailer, Teaser Poster for ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch’ Final Season

The epic third and last season, which tests the limits of the Batch in the fight to reunite with Omega, kicks off with the first three episodes February 21 on Disney+.

Dept. of Far Out! Headline News

‘The Freak Brothers’ Season 2 Arrives on Digital February 26.

The fun cloud of smoke returns… Lionsgate's adult animated series, based on Gilbert Shelton’s acclaimed underground comics, stars Woody Harrelson, Pete Davidson, John Goodman, and Tiffany Haddish as four pothead time travelers from the 1960s.

Who Doesn’t Love Alien Love - Or The Wall? Headline News

Hulu Drops ‘Solar Opposites’ Valentines Day Special Trailer

By Dan Sarto | Wednesday, January 24, 2024 at 9:05am

It’s love like you’ve never, nor ever wanted, to witness – or feel - as Korvo, Yumyulack, Terry, and Jesse get romantic AF… yes, they went there; the ‘An Earth Shatteringly Romantic Solar Valentine’s Day Opposites Special’ special debuts February 5.

It’s Looking Fire Headline News

Netflix Drops First Official Trailer for ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’

The live-action reimagining of the beloved Nickelodeon animated series, which follows Aang, the young Avatar, as he learns to master the four elements, stars Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio, and Ian Ousely, and hits the streamer February 22.

Technology Headline News

Arcturus Announces HoloSuite Toolset Update

New Accelerated Volumetric Video Codec compresses data so creators can populate digital scenes with more volumetric characters than ever before while maintaining high data quality.

Robin Robin Returns Returns Headline News

Will Aardman Craft Another Project from the ‘Robin Robin’ Universe?

By Dan Sarto | Tuesday, January 23, 2024 at 1:27pm

The UK studio’s charming stop-motion holiday special, featuring puppets made from felt and starring Gillian Anderson and Richard E Grant, could be set for another installment, according to co-writers and co-directors Dan Ojari and Mikey Please.

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