ASIFA-Hollywood Adds Independent Feature Category to Annie Awards
Joining 35 other categories recognizing excellence in animation, ASIFA-Hollywood adds a new category for best independent animated feature.
Brazil’s SPIRIT Animation Relies on Shotgun Software for ‘KARL’
Created by SPIRIT Animation CCO Fernando Macedo and produced by SPIRIT Animation, ‘KARL’ airs throughout Latin America as well as select markets in Africa and Europe.
Blackmagic’s Fusion 8 Public Beta is Now Available for Download
First-ever Mac-compatible release of visual effects and motion graphics software to be followed by a public beta for Fusion 8 Studio, which adds stereoscopic 3D tools and is designed for multi-user workgroups.
DHX Media Signs Six Broadcasters for 'Twirlywoos'
Stop-Motion ‘Dimitri,’ Bronzit’s ‘Cosmos’ Top Cyber Sousa Xiamen
Stop-motion animated series ‘Dimitri,’ produced by French studio Vivement Lundi!, and ‘We Can't Live Without Cosmos’ by Konstantin Bronzit receive Golden Dolphin awards at the 8th Cyber Sousa international animation festival organized by ASIFA-China in the City of Xiamen.
Animated ‘Bear Hunt’ Special Marches to Channel 4
Channel 4 to air a special animated adaptation produced by the makers of ‘The Snowman and The Snowdog’ of the timeless classic children’s book ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt,’ by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury.
‘Angry Birds’ Maker Rovio to Cut 260 Jobs
Aside from the teams working on ‘The Angry Birds Movie’ in the U.S. and Canada, job cuts will affect the entire organization.
The CW's Animated ‘Vixen’ Pilot Now Online
Based on the DC Comics character first created in 1981, six-episode web series ‘Vixen’ is written and executive produced by ‘Arrow’ producer Marc Guggenheim.
Disney Television Animation Makes Key Executive Appointments
Eric Coleman is named SVP, Original Programming and General Manager; Jonathan Schneider is promoted to VP, Strategy; Mondo’s Aaron Simpson joins the company as VP, Development; Shane Prigmore is named VP, Creative Affairs; and Bonnie Lemon joins the company as VP, Production.
Australia’s ‘Blinky Bill’ Goes Global
Already a hit in Poland, Australia’s favorite Koala, ‘Blinky Bill,’ heads to international territories in CG animated feature from Flying Bark Productions, Assemblage and Telegael Teoranta.
Hit Maker Summit Announces 2015 Speakers
TV pitch crash course from SellYourTVConceptNow.com founders Jeanne and Mark Simon takes place in Orlando, FL September 19-21.
Has the Chinese Animation Industry Finally Turned the Corner?
This year at Annecy’s MIFA animation marketplace, the conversation about Chinese animation was anything but the same old story.
Academy Unveils 2015 Student Academy Award Winners
Winners of the 42nd Student Academy Awards competition in the animation category are ‘An Object at Rest’ by Seth Boyden ‘Soar’ by Alyce Tzue, and ‘Taking the Plunge’ by Nicholas Manfredi and Elizabeth Ku-Herrero.
New LEGO DC Comics ‘Justice League’ Release Arrives on Blu-ray
All-new original movie from LEGO and DC Comics, ‘Justice League: Attack of the Legion of Doom,’ was produced at Warner Bros. Animation.
‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Headed to Disc
Nickelodeon's fan-favorite animated series ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Complete Series’ is available on DVD October 6.
Cinelicious Completes 4K Restoration of ‘Belladonna of Sadness’
Cinelicious, SpectreVision and The Cinefamily in Los Angeles team to present a 4K restoration of the Japanese anime feature ‘Belladonna of Sadness,’ directed by Eiichi Yamamoto (‘Astro Boy’) and produced by Osamu Tezuka’s Mushi Productions.
Call for Entries: Submissions to the 43rd Annie Awards Opens September 1
Toondraw Productions Launches ‘YaYa & Zouk’
Montreal-based 2D animation producer Toondraw Productions launches its first animated television series, ‘YaYa & Zouk,’ set to air on Radio-Canada and Yoopa starting in September.
Academy Considering 20 Sci-Tech Achievements for 2015
Twenty scientific and technical achievements involving 11 distinct investigations are selected for further consideration for 2015 Academy Awards.
‘A Greek Tragedy’: Women, Animation and the Classics at Annecy 2015
Nicole van Goethem’s 1985 Cristal and 1987 Oscar-winning short stands out in Annecy 2015 homage to female animators.
GKIDS Picks Up Studio Ghibli’s ‘Only Yesterday’
GKIDS acquires North American rights to ‘Only Yesterday’ from Studio Ghibli co-founder and Academy Award nominee Isao Takahata; new English-language version featuring Daisy Ridley and Dev Patel to receive 25th anniversary theatrical release winter 2016.
Somebody on Something: Pat Smith’s ‘Blank on Blank’
Director Pat Smith talks about animating lost and rare interviews with stars like Hunter S. Thompson and Lou Reed for his new web mini-series.
Box Office Report: ‘Minions’ Now Third Top-Grossing Animated Feature Worldwide
Illumination Entertainment's ‘Minions’ beats the lifetime totals of ‘Despicable Me 2’ ($975.5 million) and ‘The Lion King’ ($987.5 million) to become the third-highest-grossing animated film of all time worldwide.
Hollywood Studio Antitrust Lawsuit Back in Play
District Judge Lucy Koh rejects the requests of Disney, DreamWorks, Pixar, Sony and other Hollywood studios to dismiss claims the companies violated antitrust laws by conspiring to suppress the wages of animation and VFX artists.
Cinanima Director António Gaio Dies at 90
Champion of Portuguese animation was instrumental in helping to bring the country to international cultural prominence following its return to democracy in 1975.