Apr
26
Adventure Time – Bespoken For
Posted in: Animation
Apr
26
Block printing has a 500 year-old tradition in the towns of Bagru and Sanganer in Rajasthan. The family tradition, the tactile nature of work and the fact that most of the work is done at home with the family, all combine to create a rich heritage of the block printing craft in India. Despite the pride in their work and a growing demand of their products, the artisans have a less than positive outlook. Poor work conditions, synthetics replacing natural materials and lack of improved technology are exposing the artisans to potential hazards – making them more vulnerable to sickness and injury. Combined efforts from Government, civil society and artisans are required to revive the hopes of thousands of families and make this craft, a lasting print.
For more information visit http://www.aiacaonline.org/
Apr
26
Agency for building National Centre of Excellence for Animation to be finalised soon
Posted in: AnimationThe agency for undertaking civil construction work of the National Centre of Excellence for Animation, Gaming and Special Effects has not been completed in the fourth quarter of 2016-17 as planned.
However, sources in the Indian Institute of Mass Communications which is handling the project told AnimationXpress that the land had been identified and senior officials of the IIMC had already visited the area in the Film City in Goregaon in Mumbai.
While indicating that the civil construction will be undertaken by the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) as it had also been involved with the National Film Museum, the sources said that the final decision will be taken after the process of handing over if the land by the Maharashtra Government is completed in the first quarter of 2017-18.
Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology which also examines issues relating to Information and Broadcasting Ministry was told that one of the reasons for the shortfall in usage of the allocation of the film sector for 2016-17 was the delay in late approval and prolonged inter-ministerial consultations and request for proposal for selection of private partners in setting up of the Centre.
A sum of just Rs 835.6 million out of a reduced revised estimate of Rs 1.3439 billion was utilised in the film sector in 2016-17 because of various reasons.
Deliverables for the year 2017-18 should be identified to make efforts to achieve the physical targets made under the scheme for the Centre by productive utilisation of enhanced budget of Rs 600 million, the Committee said.
Wanting the project to be completed at the earliest to achieve the avowed objective, the Committee said that the Public-Private Partnership Model in this field is a welcome move from the side of the Ministry and would certainly help the sector grow at a better pace.
The main secretariat for this Centre was approved by the Standing Finance Committee (SFC) on 27 December 2016. As a result the entire budget for the film sector has been increased in 2017-18 to Rs 2.07 billion at budget estimate stage, which is more than the allocation made at BE during the previous year.
The Committee was told that the budgetary allocation of Rs. 51 million for 2016-17 under the Scheme was reduced to Rs 10 million at the revised estimates stage of which the Ministry have not incurred any expenditure as on 31 January 2017. The Scheme was approved with a total outlay of Rs 1.677 billion on 1 November 2011.
The post Agency for building National Centre of Excellence for Animation to be finalised soon appeared first on AnimationXpress.
Apr
26
VOOT, Viacom18’s ad-supported video-on-demand OTT service, has turned its mobile website into a Progressive Web App (PWA) using features such as Add to Homescreen and a service worker. PWA allows reliable, fast and engaging experience for users on mobile Web.
Viacom18 Digital Ventures , COO, Gaurav Gandhi commented, “In this business both content and technology have equal equity in realising the potential of our consumer proposition. While content is our domain expertise, to push the envelope in terms of technology, we continuously work with partners from around the world. We are delighted to work closely with Google to launch VOOT on the PWA platform. This launch significantly enhances the experience for all VOOT users on mobile browsers and we believe this is a big step where users can have an equally rich experience of our service without downloading the app”
VOOT is available as both a native app and a mobile web app. It offers close to 35,000 hours of premium content that includes not only exclusive shows from the Viacom18 network channels like Colors and MTV, but also original series created for VOOT. It is also the largest online destination for kid’s content under its brand VOOT Kids.
VOOT launched its new UI first on mobile web, ahead of desktop web and native app. Within days of launch, the video watch time on mobile web has jumped over 39 per cent and is comparable to that of native apps. The improvements also had a significant positive impact on reducing load times, reducing abandonments and much better conversions.
“We have moved the needle very significantly when it comes to user experience on the mobile Web by adopting PWA,” Viacom18 Digital Ventures, head of product and technology, Rajneel Kumar said. He further added, “All the time and effort we’ve spent on technology and UI changes as well as optimisations seem to be showing very positive results. We are going to continue to refine this further and we are confident that we will continue to see significant consumer lift.”
“We are delighted with the VOOT implementation of a Progressive Web App. PWAs are well suited for India, where the mobile Web allows publishers to reach a large audience across a highly diverse set of devices and bandwidth. The early numbers on performance are very encouraging and demonstrate the potential of mobile Web media distribution” said Google’s production manager John Pallett.
VOOT PWA includes offline page caching functionality, fast loading, responsive interface and push notifications. The Add to Home Screen feature of PWA allows the user to launch the page from their home screen like a native app and a service worker decreases load times. VOOT is an early adopter of this technology and it is only a matter of time before PWAs become the new standard for web interactions, just as responsive design has become the norm rather than an exception.
While 4G services have recently launched, there are many users who access the Internet via 2G and 3G networks, with slow and sometimes expensive data transfer rates. To reduce the data transfer, VOOT has optimised its images specifically for mobile. The site now dynamically serves either JPEG or WebP images depending upon browser capabilities that minimise image data size, resulting into seamless viewing experience.
These optimisations resulted in a 63 per cent reduction in first-view page load data transfer and an 86 per cent reduction in data transfer for returning visitors. Page loads became five times faster for first-time visitors, and almost seven times faster for returning users.
The post VOOT partners with Google to launch video-on-demand Progressive Web App appeared first on AnimationXpress.
Apr
26
Indian animation studio, 88 Pictures spill the beans on what went into the making of Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Trollhunters’
Posted in: AnimationThe place is huge, dimly lit with yellow spherical lamps hanging from the ceiling, music playing on the speakers in the otherwise silent work-area and people with their gazes focused on the screen, immersed in work. This is the environment at EightyEighty Pictures, one of the studios that is working (now on season two) on DreamWorks Animation’s and Guillermo del Toro’s animated fantasy adventure Trollhunters.
88 Pictures worked entirely on three episodes from season one of the Annie Award-winning TV series. AnimationXpress got in touch with the team to get more insights on the work flow, production, pipeline and animation of the Trollhunters project.
It all starts with production…
When the team got the project in hand, the production team began planning – the structure, requisite software, recruitment as per requirement and report structures to communicate with the client (DWA) on a regular basis. Since Rakesh Patil – head of production at 88 Pictures – had spent five to six years with DWA, it was not an arduous task for him to figure out what they needed in terms of production. What they had to keep in mind however was to maintain the level of the show, which was already high.
Adhering to the deadlines, or “completion date” as Patil likes to call it, is always a challenge in TV shows, but not at 88 Pictures. The resources were planned and channelised in a way that work was always completed on date. They use the term CBB – Can Be Better. “The shot is approved, everything is great, but if we have time, we see how we can make it better.” Keeping the budget under wraps, he said that they’ve never compromised on the creative standpoint.
“We have artists who are always hungry from a learning perspective. That is why, they never complained about working on a shot after it was already approved.”
Saswat Sahoo built a pipeline with robust asset management and production tracking system. They knew that this project was of a huge scale. Hence, “we had to build a pipeline that was scalable and could handle the volume of data that came with Trollhunters,” Sahoo said. Multiple assets came in everyday. They therefore developed a number of Maya and Nuke tools for the animation department to handle the shots with ease.
The software used were Maya, Houdini, Arnold, Nuke and Shotgun. “Our pipeline is very tightly integrated with Shotgun,” he added.
Manish Kumar
Animation director Manish Kumar revealed that getting the story moving was completely under their hands but they worked closely with the director and the animator at DreamWorks Animation. They had shot specific video calls to know the vision of the series director, Rodrigo Blaas. Blaas was open to ideas, and “everybody wanted to make a great story, so if the idea made sense, we went ahead with it,” Kumar shared.
After all this, came the lighting and VFX. With 17 years of experience in this field, Rahul Nair – the lighting supervisor – believes that lighting for a TV show such as Trollhunters was a different ball game altogether. He adopted a method which was more lighting-centric than comp-centric. 80 per cent of the work was done with lighting while composting was used only to enhance the shot. “Due to this approach, we had to change our workflow, and I am happy that Milind allowed me to do so,” smiled Nair.
Mood of the lighting was based on the art work which came from the client. “We initially got references from there, but later they gave us freedom to decide the colours based on the storyline and the script.” According to Nair, Guillermo del Toro is visually oriented. “He wants to see storytelling through visuals.” They were also given a basic design theme but had the freedom to tweak it.
For lighting, they always went through the storyline and the script. They were provided with notes from the art director at DWA regarding the details of the shot. The colours were thus chosen based on the tonality of the story.
In animation industry, lighting has always been a service force while compositing handles the rest. Nair changed this approach at 88 Pictures.
From left: Saswat Sahoo, Rakesh Patil, Rahul Nair
Talking about Guillermo del Toro, the studio’s CEO Milind Shinde said, “He’s been so passionate about this project, that he has put his passion in every single shot.” That, for him and his team was most inspiring. “We want to be known as creatively passionate individuals.” And creatively passionate they are!
The studio head, Siddhie Mhambre maintains a culture that keeps everyone happy. “If one is happy, one can put his mind and heart in work,” Mhambre explained.
Optimistic attitude towards their work and the habit of striving to do better each day helped the team at 88 Pictures deliver shots which impressed the creator and the members at DWA. Trollhunters is just the beginning, but the studio seems prepared for everything on its way!
The post Indian animation studio, 88 Pictures spill the beans on what went into the making of Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Trollhunters’ appeared first on AnimationXpress.
Apr
26
Genius Brands closes broadcast licence deal with Nickelodeon for ‘Rainbow Rangers’
Posted in: AnimationGenius Brands International has licensed exclusive US and Caribbean Basin broadcast rights for season one of its new CGI-animated production, Rainbow Rangers to Nickelodeon.
Currently in development (52 x 11′ episodes), the mission-based series is expected to air on Nickelodeon’s preschool channel, Nick Jr. The deal follows Genius Brands’ recent announcement of the appointment of Mattel’s Fisher-Price Toys as Global Master Toy Partner for the brand.
Rainbow Rangers consists of a unique and highly-accomplished team of creators from the animated motion picture world, including Rob Minkoff (The Lion King director), Shane Morris (Frozen co-writer), Tim Mansfield and New York Times Bestselling author and Emmy-nominated writer Elise Allen (Dinosaur Train, Lion Guard, Barbie specials) who is serving as head writer and co-creator. Genius Brands’ chairman and CEO, Andy Heyward serves as executive producer, with Disney alum Ruben Aquino creating key designs. Aquino is responsible for the design and animation of many of Disney’s most iconic characters from award-winning films including The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Mulan and Frozen.
“We’ve assembled an unprecedented team of creative talent to bring Rainbow Rangers to life and are committed to selecting partners of the same calibre that have a shared passion for the brand,” said Heyward. “Nickelodeon has introduced so many of the most beloved and exciting characters to kids and families across the globe.”
Rainbow Rangers is an empowering, exciting, behind-the-curtain peek at the real lives of superheroes – Earth’s First Responders. The series blends fantasy and action-adventure with relatable stories about friendship and saving the environment. The Rainbow Rangers – seven girls, each a different colour of the rainbow, each with her own wildly unique personality and power – band together to save the day whenever there’s trouble for the people, animals or natural wonders of the Earth. Every storyline is designed to show viewers the importance of working together and that actions both big and small can make the world a better place.
The new animated series has received strong interest from broadcast and licensing partners since its debut at MIPJunior in Cannes last October. Fisher-Price will lead the licensing and merchandising program with a broad range of preschool products in the toy category.
“Rainbow Rangers is an exciting content series that we believe will strike a relevant cord with its mission based adventures and message of empowerment for preschool girls,” said Mattel’s Toy Box, EVP and chief brand officer, Susie Lecker. “Bringing Rainbow Rangers to life through engaging product allows us to address the opportunity in the preschool toy aisle for a girl-targeted, heroic, action-focused line. We’re looking forward to the continued collaboration with Genius Brands and the incredible pedigree of talent behind the development of the series, to realise the full potential of a compelling toy line.”
Genius Brands is actively developing its global merchandising, licensing and retail program across all key categories to coincide with the series launch.
“Combining Genius Brands’ unique business model and expertise in creating highly engaging cross-platform content with Nickelodeon and Mattel’s pedigree and industry-leading position in the global market gives Rainbow Rangers the fuel it needs to lead in the preschool space,” said Genius Brands, president of global consumer products (worldwide content sales and marketing), Stone Newman. “Our partnerships can be seen as indicators of the growth potential for this property and its ability to generate significant revenue streams across multiple categories.”
The post Genius Brands closes broadcast licence deal with Nickelodeon for ‘Rainbow Rangers’ appeared first on AnimationXpress.
Apr
26
Cartoon Network’s ‘Ben 10’ expands to Australia, New Zealand and SVOD platforms
Posted in: AnimationCartoon Network’s biggest ever franchise, is extending its reach across multiple platforms and into more Australian and New Zealand homes this month with new free-to-air partnerships.
New agreements with 9Go! and TVNZ2 complement its existing distribution on pay-TV and SVOD platforms including Foxtel, Stan, Fetch and Sky New Zealand. Ben 10 is also available through the Cartoon Network Watch and Play app.
Turner’s general manager for Australia, New Zealand and Pacific, Robi Stanton said: “Ben 10 has always been big, but these deals catapult the series to new heights. It returned to screens in this region in late 2016 and reminded us of the show’s fun and adventure. With these distribution deals now in place, Ben Tennyson, along with his sister Gwen and Grandpa Max, is all set to entertain even more kids and families than ever before.”
The series kicked off with a feature in Kids WB on 15 April, 2017 and is currently airing on weekdays from 17 April on 9Go! in Australia, and on weekdays from 12 April on TVNZ2 in New Zealand.
Ahead of its June debut, expectations are high for the launch of the full collection of Ben 10 toys. Cartoon Network won “2017 Action Toy of the Year” with its new Rust Bucket toy at the annual Toy Fair Gala Dinner in Melbourne last month. The range is predicted to be a huge favourite this year for boys.
The post Cartoon Network’s ‘Ben 10’ expands to Australia, New Zealand and SVOD platforms appeared first on AnimationXpress.
Apr
26
Blizzard announces its second ‘Heroes of the Storm’ and ‘Overwatch’ cross-franchise event
Posted in: AnimationBlizzard really wants the players to play their MOBA, Heroes of the Storm. The company has just announced its second crossover event merging two of its IPs, the aforementioned MOBA and its recently released smash hit shooter Overwatch.
The earlier event bestowed players with the ‘Oni’ skin for Genji in Overwatch for completing 15 games in Heroes of the Storm. Looks like, this time it’s time for D.Va. The promotional event is split through four weeks and has specific rewards to each.
This comes when Heroes of the Storm is going through a massive overhaul and new additions, some of which are listed below:
- Progression System Overhaul — Player level cap has been removed and transformed into the sum of all Hero levels gained, with even bigger rewards at levelling milestones.
- Loot Chests — Packages containing random assortments of nearly every awesome reward in game, including Heroes themselves, are now received through progression or purchase.
- Social and Customisation Rewards — Loot Chests also contain new cosmetic rewards for Heroes, including emojis, voice lines, announcer packs, banners, and more
- New Hero: Genji — An augmented cyborg ninja whose agility and skill make him an exceptionally lethal threat, the new Overwatch-inspired Hero is an opportunistic, highly-mobile Assassin who can tear apart a weak backline. Genji would be the fourth hero to join the roster from Overwatch after Tracer, Zarya and Lucio.
- New Battleground: Hanamura — The Overwatch-inspired two-lane Battleground is set within the sprawling grounds of Shimada Castle; Heroes must find victory through use of the map’s unique mercenaries, taking down the Mega Enforcer boss, and escorting the Payloads to victory.
An event is already live on Overwatch. Titled Uprising, the event puts you and your team against hordes of rogue omnics in a bid to secure King’s Row.
The post Blizzard announces its second ‘Heroes of the Storm’ and ‘Overwatch’ cross-franchise event appeared first on AnimationXpress.
Apr
26
Cut your Physical Render Time in Half with this time saving Cinema 4D Tutorial. Optimize the Physical Renderer for speed with Reflectance.
Watch This Short Tutorial
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