‘Octonauts’ Family Entertainment Experience Opens in China
Silvergate Media and Merlin Entertainment launch themed attraction at Changfeng Ocean World in Shanghai; ‘Octonauts: Above & Beyond’ spin-off series coming in fall of 2021.
Baobab Studios’ ‘Baba Yaga’ Now Available on Oculus Quest
Leading interactive studio’s latest VR experience is released today; first-ever live virtual reality red carpet premiere for the short was the ultimate socially distanced event, with attendees using Oculus Quest headsets to interact in real-time as avatars.
Nickelodeon and iQIYI’s ‘Deer Squad’ Premieres January 25 in the U.S.
New CG-animated series, a collaboration between the leading Chinese entertainment service and VIS Kids, marks Nick’s first time partnering on a Chinese original from the concept phase.
Big Brother is Coming with ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ TV Adaptation
New series will be based on the Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan's play ‘1984,’ tweaked to fit modern times.
Animaccord and Amazon Ink ‘Masha and the Bear’ European Distribution Deal
Company’s strike collaborative, multi-territory deal expanding reach on Prime Video of popular animated series and its spin-offs, ‘Masha's Spooky Stories’ and ‘Masha's Tales.’
Listen: ‘Soul’ Co-Director Kemp Powers Talks Insights, Clarity, and Setbacks
In a Spark & Fire podcast about his work on Pixar’s new film, the writer/director discusses the challenge and discipline of writing, and his commitment to working out the wonderful barbershop scene.
Doug Alberts Joins Hornet’s Director Roster
Director and designer, known for his fun, playful aesthetic, employs a diverse array of creative animation techniques to tell stories; his work include projects for MTV, TED-Ed, and Lyft.
Autodesk Names Diana Colella SVP, Media & Entertainment
In her new role, the newly promoted company veteran will be responsible for increasing the division’s strategic efforts to lead growth in the industry.
WATCH: Animated ‘Pinocchio and Friends’ Series Coming Late 2021
Check out new trailer for upcoming show from Rainbow Group and Toonz Media Group, who are partnering on CG adaptation of Carlo Collodi’s ‘The Adventures of Pinocchio.’
‘Yu-Gi-Oh!’ Heads to the UK and Down Under
Konami Cross Media inks new streaming/digital agreements with UK-based Sky Kids and Australian-based anime streaming platform, AnimeLab.
New Lucasfilm Games ‘Indiana Jones’ Title in the Works with Bethesda
The former LucasArts is collaborating with the leading game company’s MachineGames studio on an original story, the action-adventure franchise’s first videogame for modern consoles since 2003.
‘Gods of Mars’: Virtual Production and NVIDIA RTX Real-Time Graphics at Work
Production of epic space adventure combines miniatures and real-time technologies at a fraction of the cost of similarly designed and animated blockbuster feature films.
‘Betty Boop’ Gets New Agent
Fleischer Studios taps Global Icons for worldwide representation as the studio seeks new, creative, and strategic opportunities to expand their iconic brands.
Weta Digital Names Ann Le Cam SVP Global Talent and Animation Production
Former Disney executive to lead VFX company’s further global expansion into original content and animation.
Netflix Reveals Animation Release Slate for 2021
Streaming giant announces projects from Aardman, DreamWorks Animation, Nickelodeon, and Sony Pictures Animation, among others, set for release this year.
Moth Animates Time Square Trailer for ‘Headspace Guide to Meditation’
Hornet’s London-based directors animated popular Netflix characters to count down the New Year’s Day launch of the streamer’s 8-part series that explores the foundations of meditation.
‘Deadpool 3’ Will Retain ‘R’ Rating
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed the latest ‘Merc with a Mouth’ offering will officially exist within the MCU, and will be raunchy as ever.
Sunrise Productions Open Source Node eXecution Tree Python Tool Now Available
NXT automates programming tasks related to animation and VFX graphics and linear processing; the simplification of production workflows builds a bridge between artists and developers.
Johannes Leonardo Animates History of Motion for VW ID.4 Electric SUV
Agency spot, ‘The Wheel,’ for the upcoming Volkswagen vehicle launch was produced in a single shot and uses real Zoetropes to beautifully illustrate progressive stages of transportation.
Tomm Moore Talks ‘WolfWalkers’ in Free INDAC Online Event
Set for January 18, the upcoming virtual discussion will feature a conversation with the director/producer of Cartoon Saloon and Apple TV+’s latest animated feature; submit questions via email to participate in the Q&A.
3 New Free VIEW Conference PreVIEW Online Talks Announced
Go behind the scenes with filmmakers discussing their animation projects; scheduled sessions include the production of Netflix’s first three animated shorts ‘Canvas,’ ‘If Anything Happens I Love You,’ and ‘Cops and Robbers;’ Baobab Studios’ VR Exploration Baba Yaga; and PaperBoat Animation Studio’s ‘Bombay Rose.’
HAVE A LAUGH: Denis Leary’s ‘Dogs Playing Poker’ 2D Short
Check out the first of two animated shorts from Fox Entertainment and the famed comedian, based on Icebox’s ‘Poker Night,’ about five dog friends playing cards and shooting the sh@t about sports.
Animated Women UK Announces Mentorship Program
In partnership with Disney UK & Ireland, AWUK aims to connect industry veterans with the next generation of female talent seeking guidance and support in their professional endeavors.
WATCH: BlueBolt’s VFX Breakdown Reel for Hulu's ‘The Great’
Studio delivers over 300 shots for satirical comedic drama about the fictionalized rise of Catherine the Great, which required extensive on-location collaboration to create large scale environment extensions for Caserta Palace and the military camp at the Russian Front.
EXTENDED SNEAK PEEK: ‘Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years’
The first-ever SpongeBob SquarePants animated prequel, teased during halftime of this afternoon’s NFL Wild Card Game, is produced by Nickelodeon Animation for Paramount+, ViacomCBS’ new subscription video on-demand platform launching later this year.
