Dream Balloon and Atchity Ent. to have signed a literary management and co production agreement to develop and produce a full-length feature film, SNOWYVILLE, based on AEI client Michael Attardi's award-winning animated short, ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS VILLAGE.
SNOWYVILLE is slated to go into production no later than September 2007 for a November-December 2008 release. Directed by Attardi, the 15-minute short was created by a talented enclave of animators from Digital Animation and Visual Effects Studio (D.A.V.E.) in Universal Studios-Orlando, Florida The producers, who include Joseph Anselmo, Attardi, as well as Kenneth Atchity and his producing partner Chi-Li Wong, are working with Attardi to complete production funding and developing a full-length script, that will be approximately 35% live action and 65% animation. It will feature original music and lyrics by Attardi and co-music producer Dani Donadi.
ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS VILLAGE sees its European debut in Cannes in May 2007. Recent wins include the Washington DC and Delray Film Festivals for Best Animation and the Garden State Festival for Best Animation and Best Picture. The world premier of VILLAGE made it through the D.C. finals, beating out 2,000 entries to win the prestigious Grand Jury Award. At the 28th Annual Telly Awards, VILLAGE won in 10 categories: Best Animation, Best Musical Productions, Best Cinematography, Best CGI Animation Film, Best Art Direction, Best Director of Camera, Best Sound Design, Best Music & Lyrics, Best Special Effects in Animation and Best Animated Comedy. VILLAGE was also selected as an Award of Excellence Winner in the animation/cartoon category for The Accolade Awards.
"With the stellar track record of Michael's short," Atchity Ent. International's chairman Atchity commented, "I have no doubt we will create a quality and memorable holiday movie that will become a perennial favorite around the world."
Attardi and Anselmo created Dream Balloon Ent. to produce animated movies and live action. Dream Balloon's commercial division creates animated credit scrolls for movies, as well as animated commercials for Fortune 1,000 companies.
Atchity Ent. International's other films in development include RIPLEY'S BELIEVE-IT-OR-NOT! (at Paramount, with Jim Carrey starring, Tim Burton directing), MEG (New Line, Jan de Bont directing), DEMON KEEPER (Fox 2000), and 3 MEN SEEKING MONSTERS (Universal, starring Jon Heder). AEI was introduced to Dream Balloon by Florida entertainment attorney Richard Rappaport, who will co-exec produce the film.
