Jun
16
Valar Morghulis. a compilation of death scenes from season 1 to season 6 in HBO’s hit series Game of Thrones.
thanks for watching.
Jun
16
Annecy will come to Asia with its first edition in Seoul.
During MIFA at the Annecy International Animation Film Market, Festival organisers CITIA, Image et industries creatives (France), the SBA Animation Center (South Korea) and SK Broadband (South Korea) signed a partnership agreement to create a new animation festival in South Korea: The Annecy Asia International Animation Film Festival. The first edition will come to Seoul, South Korea in September 2019.
The French animation festival will partner with South Korea’s SBA Animation Center and SK Broadband to create the new Annecy Asia Animated Film Festival.
The three partners plan on launching the project at the Digital Media City, in the heart of Korea’s cultural industry. Created in 2002, this high-tech complex dedicated to new digital technologies spans across 570,000 square meters with offices, exhibition spaces, conference rooms, and more. The organisers said that the dates are yet to be determined and will be arranged to be synergistic with the country’s largest K-Pop festival. The festival will be largely designated for the general audience.
From left: Harry Yoon (SK Broadband), Hyungchul Joo (SBA – Seoul Animation Center) and Patrick Eveno (CITIA).
“With this partnership, we mutually engage to unite our skills,” exclaimed CITIA managing director Mickael Marin. “This is a great opportunity to spread the Annecy trademark abroad. We are certain that this international dynamic will enrich all parties involved collectively.”
In South Korea, the animation sector is rapidly developing. This partnership will therefore enable the country to give structure to its industry, to step onto the international market and promote the exporting of local productions.
“The Annecy Festival, set in a town with a beautiful landscape, will be associated with Seoul, Asia’s central city that has its own history and is also developing technology of the future,” commented SBA Animation CEO Joo Hyungcheol. “Together, we will create the most popular animation festival in Asia.”
The post Annecy Asia’s first edition to take place in Seoul in 2019 appeared first on AnimationXpress.
Jun
16
‘Cars 3’ Review: A fusillade of emotions and hilarious moments meticulously entwined through a brilliant narrative
Posted in: AnimationFocus, focus, speed! I am speed!
These familiar words greet us as Pixar’s Cars 3 begins. And let me warn you, the trailers are misleading. You will step into the theatre thinking that you know the premise, only to be greeted by crests and troughs as the story proceeds and then finally culminates.
The initial parts of the movie show Lightning McQueen racing in various tournaments and obviously winning all of them. A healthy competition exists between Queen and his competitor Cal Weathers. Everything is jolly and smooth. Then enters Jackson Storm- a young, more fit and faster rookie. The race car’s smugness is only enhanced by his appearance: black matte finish look, blue LED lining on the curves and minimal stickers. His entry changes the course of the movie.
There are major story and character arcs which you will notice if you have watched the previous two movies in the franchise. Multiple new characters are introduced, all of which are a delight. Cruz Ramirez is a suave and sprightly trainer who is entrusted with the job of motivating McQueen and serving as a bridge between his old practice methods and the advanced ones. And wait till Pixar surprises you! The initial friction between Ramirez and Queen eventually turns to understanding and this forms the major emotional centrepiece in the movie.
Cars’ antagonist Chick Hicks is back as the conceited host of his own TV show which always focuses on criticising his old rival McQueen. Natalie Certain is a statistical analyst and very certain about her numbers. Miss Fritter, a berserk school bus is an ace in the figure-eight mud-racing. Her psychotic tendency of collecting licence plates of the cars she has destroyed is what makes her both dreadful and appealing.
The character of Smokey is based on racing’s most famous rule-bender Smokey Yunick. Smokey in his slowly dragging voice serves as McQueen’s coach in this movie, replacing the late Doc Hudson. Sally, Mater, Luigi, Guido, Tex Dinoco, Mack, Fillmore, Ramone, Flo, Lizzie and Sarge all reprise their roles pretty well. Husdson Hornet’s presence is there, but not physical. Pixar has very thoughtfully given tributes to racing legends through its characters Junior Moon, River Scott, Louise Nash and Smokey.
As for the animation, there are the usual camera shakes at the race track, beautifully designed supercars and vintage cars, creative sets and numerous wonderfully recreated locations. The feature is not as colourful as Cars 2 but it is bright enough for the audience.
The colour palette varies throughout the film and has been done according to the mood of the sequences. For instance, the colours are vivid in the initial shots where McQueen is winning, while they are dull when he is disheartened. In short, they complement the emotions in the story and help maintain consistency. What steals the show however is the fabulously created frenzy at the demolition derby which will leave you guffawing till your stomach hurts. (Wish I could spoil it.)
Pixar has also done some really outstanding work on symbolism. The old Fords, Mustangs and Chevrolets are replaced by look alikes of the new-gen Lamborghinis, Jaguars and Aston Martins. Old practice tradition of getting your tyres dirty is replaced by simulators and virtual reality. The way this gap has been weaved with the bond of McQueen and Cruz tugs at the heartstrings. The phenomenon of super cars taking over race cars like McQueen is justified in a pedantic manner. This is a proof of Pixar’s attention to detail.
Cars 3 is undoubtedly the best one from the series. It begins slowly, then quickly picks up the current and gets to the point. There is no beating around the bush. The one hour 49-minute long ride is a fantastic package of story, plot, emotional moments, peppy soundtracks, mirth, punches, decent dialogues and subtle life lessons. Like we mentioned earlier, acceptance is the greatest and the hardest lesson of all and is taught in the manner they did in Inside Out. As much as I wish to be an evangelist and keep talking about the work, I will not. Wouldn’t want to spoil the fun for you guys!
Final Verdict: Cars 3 is for one and all. It may not be the best of Pixar but if it is an end to the franchise, it is stellar. And wait till the end credits roll; you will be treated with a perky pop/rock number, Ride. Now go on, do I need to say anything more!
Produced by Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, Cars 3 has been directed and co-written by Brian Fee. The screenplay has been written by Kiel Murray, Bob Peterson and Mike Rich.
The post ‘Cars 3’ Review: A fusillade of emotions and hilarious moments meticulously entwined through a brilliant narrative appeared first on AnimationXpress.
Jun
16
Kids channel on Doordarshan to materialise soon, says Director General Supriya Sahu
Posted in: AnimationDoordarshan is actively working on an exclusive channel for entertaining the young ones and is currently preparing a detailed note in this connection.Doordarshan director general Supriya Sahu said the pubcaster had earlier in the year sent a concept note to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry which had now asked it to work out the details.
Consequently, Sahu told AnimationXpress.com that the pubcaster was presently studying possible partnerships and various models apart from studying the availability of content.
She said that she was confident that this would “materialise soon”. Sahu also pointed out that the direct-to-home (DTH) platform of Doordarshan that is Free Dish, had all kinds of programming but had nothing for the kids. It was therefore considered important to launch such a channel.
In fact, she said that the issue had also been discussed at FICCI Frames in March this year. It was pointed out that kids channels in India were roughly about three per cent of the total number of channels with limited Indian content. Programming for children on television is a responsible job. Sensible children’s programming has the objective of making youngsters imbibe a sense of responsibility and morality.
To strengthen the kids’ content industry and bring about sustainability, stability and growth to the artist community and other stakeholders in the industry, there was a consensus that India needs a free-to-air terrestrial kids channel. There was a general agreement that since Doordarshan is the only channel to have such a wide reach, it is the only capable broadcast channel to make kids content available on a wide scale nationally.
Sahu had given the example of a Doordarshan team which travelled extensively to villages to talk to people. Almost every house had a connection of Free Dish except for one. Sahu was told by the elders in several houses that this was because there was no channel for kids. So it not only makes a good business sense but also important from the Indian context for DD to launch a kids channel,” Sahu said.
She said that at DD, they were working hard to create a dedicated content think tank of experienced personalities to rope in the best content and mentor progression.Earlier in 2015, the wishlist of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry included a plea to the pubcaster to launch DD Kids.
The post Kids channel on Doordarshan to materialise soon, says Director General Supriya Sahu appeared first on AnimationXpress.
Jun
16
While the whole world goes gaga over Mother’s day, many times people tend to forget another backbone of our life. Yes, they are our fathers. Father’s day is celebrated on 18 June in India every year, even if they are less in hype compared to Mother’s Day. To commemorate the occasion, Cartoon Network has started a new initiative.
Cartoon Network India, who are pioneers in setting benchmarks in kids’ entertainment industry have launched an innovative partnership supporting UNICEF India’s Super Dads that has been named as #EarlyMoments Matter campaign.
Super Dads is a new UNICEF initiative to celebrate fatherhood and highlights the importance of love, play, protection and good nutrition for the healthy development of young children’s brains.
With more than 90 countries celebrating Father’s Day this month, the joint initiative invites families to post photos and videos of what it takes to be ‘super dads,’ using the hashtag #EarlyMomentsMatter on their Instagram and Twitter accounts.
Cartoon Network with its strong connect and appeal amongst children will leverage its wide reach across millions of online followers with the crucial message that every father is equally responsible for the development of their child’s brain and nurturing their future.
In India, a digital campaign with special India-specific hashtag #BaapWaliBaat will be used to support UNICEF’s global #EarlyMomentsMatter campaign.
Apart from UNICEF South Asia ambassador Sachin Tendulkar, UNICEF India celebrity advocates Suresh Raina and Aamir Khan are also supporting the campaign through online video messages. Supporters will be encouraged to share nostalgic moments or a moment that challenges stereotypes about what dads do.
Imagica Theme Park in Mumbai has also partnered with UNICEF India to create awareness and galvanize support from parents and caregivers.This is no doubt a superb initiative by both Cartoon Network and UNICEF to pay tribute to fathers.
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Jun
16
Ali Asgar, who enacts the role of “naani” (maternal grandmother) on Kapil Sharma’s comedy show has given voice-over for the lead characters ‘Gru’ and ‘Dru’ in the upcoming American 3D computer-amimated comedy film Despicable Me 3.
Produced by Illumination Entertainment and released by Universal Pictures, the third installment in the Despicable Me series and the sequel to Despicable Me 2 is being released in India on 16 June, 2017.
Illumination, who brought moviegoers to Despicable Me and the biggest animated hits of 2013 and 2015, Despicable Me 2 and Minions, continues the adventures of Gru, Dru, Lucy, their adorable daughters and the Minions in Despicable Me 3.
On being asked about his voice-over skills, Asgar said, “Very honestly, I have never seen the film or any of the series before this. I fumbled a lot while pronouncing as I am not a fan of animated movies. This project came to me accidentally and I also attended it very half-heartedly but once it started then I gave my 100 per cent to it. In the end, I enjoyed doing it.”
He continued: “Now I would advice all the actors that once they get the opportunity to give voiceovers for some other actor or animation series, they should grab it with both the hands as it would help them a lot in future.”
The story revolves around Gru who faces off against Balthazar Bratt, a former child star who has grown up to become obsessed with the evil TV character that he played in the 1980s. Gru gets into some sibling rivalry when he meets his long-lost charming, cheerful, and more successful twin brother Dru who wants to commit one last criminal heist to steal the diamond that Bratt has stolen. Bratt is out to take down Hollywood and anyone who stands in his way. Meanwhile, the Minions rebel against Gru and decide to return to villainy with their new leader, the Minion Mel.
The post Ali Asgar lends his voice for animated film ‘Despicable Me 3’ appeared first on AnimationXpress.
Jun
16
Disney India’s consumer products business which opened its Cars 3 in theatres today has collaborated with 40 brands across categories to bring alive the world of cars.
This is the highest number of brand associations for any animation movie in India, followed by Disney Pixar’s Finding Dory at 16 brands.In the live action genre, Disney is still in the lead with 70 brand associations for Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War.
Disney Pixar’s Cars 3 has released today in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. The first part of Cars had come in 2006 and the second one Cars 2 came in 2011.
Directed by Brian Fee with music by Randy Newman it has the screenplay by Dan Gerson, Robert L. Baird, Bob Peterson and Mike Rich and has been produced by Pixar and Walt Disney Pictures.
Category and the Brand details:
· Apparel: Myntra, Max, Pantaloons, Bioworld and more
· Accessories: Crocs, Bata, Titan and more
· Publishing: Parragon India
· Stationery: HM International, SKI and more
· Toys: Mattel, Lego, Funskool, My Baby Excel, Hero and more
· Home: Servewell, Ddecor, Welspun, Setner
· Retail & E-commerce: Amazon.in, Hamleys, Landmark, Crossword and more
· Media promotion: Duracell, PayTM
Everyone’s favourite race car champion Lightning McQueen is going to face the toughest challenge of his athletic career yet in Disney Pixar’s Cars 3. Before one can catch Lightning McQueen and his friends and his challengers in a theatre nearby, consumers can experience the magic of the story with products across categories.
The upcoming releases from Disney India studio’s business will include Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok and Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
The post ‘Cars 3’ breaks the record for collaborations with 40 brands appeared first on AnimationXpress.
Jun
16
Green Gold Animation who are the makers of Chhota Bheem and Super Bheem expands production within their merchandising unit this monsoon, launching a brand new array of products from their roast of characters and beyond. With the popularity of Chhota Bheem franchise on television the company had taken firm strides into introducing new merchandise and plans further expansion for the coming festive season.
In a strategic move, Green Gold Animation has established their first plush manufacturing unit in Hyderabad named Benny N Bunny Toys India, to cater to the growing market demands for plush range. This new unit comes with a ready state-of-the-art facility to churn out carefully crafted toys and other merchandise from Green Gold’s widely loved characters. The unit now serves as a production facility to many other relevant players in the market, making it an independent SBU (Strategic Business Unit) within Green Gold’s business interests.
With the scaled up production facility, Green Gold is now poised to not only cater to the demand for their own IPs but also execute for other brands, characters and companies. The new line of generic merchandise hits over seventy unique items ranging from toys, dolls, teddy bears, animal soft toys, fruit/animal shaped school bags, cushions to mini couches for toddlers in a wide variety of designs, prints and colour combinations. The new line of merchandise is being retailed through Hypercity and through the online shopping websites like Amazon and First Cry. They are also available through Green Gold Stores and other retails chains and toy shops across India and are affordably priced between Rs. 249 and Rs. 1699.
Green Gold Animation COO and executive director Samir Jain says, “We introduced Benny N Bunny into the Green Gold family and that gives us the assurance of world class quality and best technology. We target to scale up our production capabilities and operations which will give us confidence to not only focus on our character merchandise but also reach out to other significant players. This is a vast and dynamic market so we will keep innovating and expanding. We have a simple fun-filled agenda to make the kids experience the brand more closely.”
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Jun
15
Join Mario on a massive, globe-trotting 3D adventure! Use his incredible new abilities to collect Moons that power up your airship- the Odyssey, and rescue Princess Peach from Bowser’s wedding plans! Super Mario Odyssey launches to Nintendo Switch on October 27, 2017.
Learn more about Super Mario Odyssey! https://goo.gl/4bmB4F
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