The Beast within

beast

Disney were super-secretive about how the Beast was made in Beauty and the Beast. But now, with a making of video of Digital Domain’s work released, they’ve let information out. I talked to some of the DD team and wrote a quick how-to on Thrillist.

Amazon Original ‘Danger & Eggs’ premieres 30 June in US and UK

Amazon announced its original animated kids series Danger & Eggs which is scheduled to premiere on Friday, 30 June, 2017 on Prime Video in the US and UK.

Created by Mike Owens (Yo Gabba Gabba!Animaniacs) and Shadi Petosky (Yo Gabba Gabba!, Mad) and executive produced by Owens, Petosky, and Chris Hardwick (Talking Dead, @midnight). The show features comedians Aidy Bryant (Saturday Night Live) as D.D. Danger and Eric Knobel (Huge Theater) as Phillip.

“We are excited to introduce our first animated comedy for children ages six to 11 to our customers,” said Amazon Studios head of kids programming Tara Sorensen. “We feel incredibly lucky to be working with the calibre of creative talent behind this series.”

The series will also include guest star voice talent from Weird Al (Milo Murphy’s Law), Lori Petty (Tank Girl), Charlyne Yi (Knocked Up), Kate Micucci (Garfunkle and Oates), Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgrim), Jasika Nicole (Fringe), Felicia Day (Geek and Sundry), Jonah Ray (Nerdist, Mystery Science Theater), Angelica Ross (Her Story), and Jazz Jennings (I Am Jazz).

“For us, the heart of Danger & Eggs is the friendship between Phillip and D.D. that proves you can face fear and danger and have a blast in the process because you are not alone,” said Owens. Adds Petosky, “We can’t believe we get to take out our anxiety on a show – putting our inside voices into these characters and seeing if they stay friends.”

Danger & Eggs follows the endless adventures of a fearless, teal-haired girl named D.D. Danger, daughter of world-renowned stunt daredevil, Roy Danger, and her ever cautious best friend, a giant talking egg named Phillip. Following in his footsteps, D.D. is always chasing her next big thrill. Luckily for her, Phillip is always there by her side with jerry-rigged safety mechanisms to make her thrill-seeking dreams come true. Together, they go in search of new adventures at their favourite spot, Chicken Paw Park, which is home to Philip’s mom Becky, a gargantuan chicken.

“I’ve been passionate about animation my whole life and to produce this series with my animation company fulfils a lifelong goal,” says Hardwick. “This show is funny, touching, and has incredible design – everything I’ve wanted to make.”

The first season finds D.D. and Phillip meeting a raccoon with a thirst for technology, being sucked into a mysterious underground science lab, discovering a lonely robot in an overgrown garden, and taking on a famous zip line. Throughout their journey, they overcome obstacles with the “Buddy System” mantra which says: You look out for me and I’ll look out for you.

The pilot, which was part of Amazon’s Fall 2015 pilot season is rated 4.6 out of five by customers, with 80 per cent five-star reviews. It is available, along with all 13 episodes from the series, online as well as on the Amazon Prime Video app for compatible TVs, connected devices, including Amazon Fire TV and mobile devices at no additional cost to their membership. Prime members can also download select titles to mobile devices for offline viewing.

Images of the episodic art:

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Gaumont taps Laura Laas as animation TV sales head

Gaumont has hired Laura Laas as its new VP of international television sales for animation, to work across its EMEA and North American sales activity.

Laura Laas

Laas is charged with selling Gaumont’s animated TV series within the EMEA territories and North America, as well as developing partnerships for worldwide co-productions. She will report to the company’s president of worldwide TV distribution and co-production, Vanessa Shapiro, and will also work closely with Gaumont’s animation team, led by division president Nicolas Atlan.

“We have seen significant growth in our animation business over the past year, with three new kids’ series close to completion and three recently announced projects in development, with several more to be unveiled in the coming months,” said Shapiro. “Laura’s extensive industry background and expertise will be of paramount importance as we roll out these completed series and finalise co-production partnerships for our new development slate.”

Laas was most recently international sales manager at France Télévisions Distribution, creating and overseeing global distribution strategies for animation content. Prior to that, she worked for Toei Animation Europe and Warner Bros. Entertainment.

Gaumont’s slate includes animation trio Belle and Sebastian (52×11′) which is being coproduced with Canada’s Groupe PVP; Furry Wheels (52×11′) for France Télévisions and Disney XD; and Trulli Tales (52×11’) which will air on Disney Junior EMEA, RAI, Radio Canada and Globosat.

Gaumont drafted in former MarVista Entertainment executive Shapiro earlier this year to bolster its sales activity. The company also appointed EO Distribution to oversee distribution of its scripted drama and animated programming in Latin America.

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Wow! Unlimited and Bell Media announce strategic partnership in kids and youth entertainment

Canadian kids’ animation entertainment company Wow Unlimited Media and content creation company Bell Media have entered into a deal that will bring Wow! programming to Bell channels in exchange for equity in the production outfit. The deal also includes an agreement to jointly develop and produce content.

Michael Hirsh

Wow CEO and chairman Michael Hirsh said, “This strategic partnership will drive our planned multi-platform rollout of a new paradigm in entertainment for kids and youth across North America. In addition, the support and collaborative efforts of Canada’s leading media and telecommunication company will provide strong momentum to Wow’s global expansion plans.”

The transaction will be structured as an asset purchase with Wow! picking up the broadcasting license for Category B specialty service from Bell Media in exchange for over three million voting shares (12 per cent), priced at $6.86 million. Bell Media will also be able to nominate a rep to Wow!’s board of directors following the closure of the transaction.

“We are very excited about our strategic partnership with Wow and the opportunity to work with them in realising their strategy of becoming a best in class international producer of kids and youth content,” said Bell Media president Randy Lennox. “As part of our partnership, Bell Media will leverage Wow’s programming for use across all of our platforms including linear television, CraveTV, and SnackableTV.”

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For the first time, a game trailer officially qualifies for an Academy Award

It would be the first time; something related to a game might be running the Oscars race. However, it is not being exactly treated as a game but as an animated short film.

The philosophical simulator, Everything, won the ‘Jury Prize – Animation’ at the VIS Vienna Shorts film festival. Going by that, now it will be in the long road for an Academy Award, which will be a first for a video game related promotion, exulted game developer David OReilly.

The elaborate, around 11 minutes trailer of the game talks about the ways how the universe works, from the smallest of organism to the largest cosmic events and how they shape our universe and us into being. The video is covered with a narration from late British philosopher Alan Watts.

Here’s the statement from the jury about the trailer: “The “Jury Prize – Animation” goes to a film, which beyond being entertaining has a strong poetic and philosophical theme. It serves a highly educational purpose, including an important political statement, that encourages to let our egos dissolve and gain a new perspective on the world.”

The trailer looks a bit odd initially, but as you listen to the narration and subsequently relate it to the video, it becomes much more alluring and makes you think.

The game has already won a handful of accolades and has been nominated for some more.

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Global 3D Animation Market to reach $20.7 billion by 2022

According to a new report titled Global 3D Animation Market (2016-2022), published by KBV Research, the global 3D animation market is expected to attain a market size of $20.7 billion by 2022, growing at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 12 per cent during the forecast period. Rapid adoption of visual effects technology in movies, growing demand for 3D mobile applications and games, and rapid uptake of 3D mapping technology in navigation and geospatial analysis are some of the significant factors that drive the growth of 3D animation technology, globally.

Regionally, the North America market dominated the global 3D animation market and would continue to be a dominant region all through the forecast period. Within that region, the US 3D animation market is expected to reach $5,758.6 million by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 9.9 per cent from 2016 to 2022. Strong economy, with leading market players investing heavily into R&D activities are the major factors driving the American market, making it the dominant market all through the forecast period. Nevertheless, the Asia pacific would be the fastest growing region, with the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Countries such as Japan, China, Singapore, Australia, and India have unprecedented market potential, due to various R&D activities initiated in these countries in order to support the animation studios.

The 3D modelling market dominated the Australia 3D animation market by technology in 2015, and would continue to be till 2022; thereby, achieving a market value of $136.1 million by 2022. Additionally, the VFX market is expected to register a CAGR of 17.5 per cent during the period (2016 – 2022). Visual effects using computer generated imagery has become one of the major advantages. Moreover, introduction of user friendly and less expensive software has helped independent filmmakers to explore different kinds of virtual effects software, which was otherwise a challenge.

Based on deployment type, the On-Premise market dominated the global 3D animation market in 2015, and would hold its dominating position throughout the forecast period. The Cloud market is expected to register a CAGR of 15.7 per cent during the forecast period (2016 – 2022).

Within the verticals, the media & entertainment market dominated the global 3D animation market, with a market share of more than 34 per cent in 2015. Manufacturing segment would witness maximum growth rate during the forecast period (2016 – 2022).

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Yu-Gi-Oh! comes back to Finland, continues its successful run on PlayTV

4K Media, the Konami Digital Entertainment, subsidiary that manages the Yu-Gi-Oh! brand outside of Asia, today announced that it has licensed various installments of its Yu-Gi-Oh! anime franchise to the following partners: PlayTV in Brazil and Mega Merchandising, the children’s program buyer in Finland for Fox Networks Group.

In announcing the new agreements, 4K Media SVP of operations and business and legal affairs Kristen Gray stated, “Yu-Gi-Oh! has maintained a thriving fan base around the world and we are fortunate to continue to grow our relationship with partners such as PlayTV in Brazil, while also forging new agreements with Mega Merchandising for broadcast on Fox Networks Group in Finland.  Both partners are an instrumental part of airing the series for its fans in these territories.”


In Brazil, PlayTV recently started airing the third season of “Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters.” The channel began airing the Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters series in 2015 and has continued to add additional seasons due to the growing popularity in the market.

In Finland, starting in early July 2017, Fox Networks Group will air “Yu-Gi-Oh! GX” on its FOX Kids Block, which airs Monday through Friday from 6:30 am to 9:30 am and weekends from 6 am to 9 am.

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Adidas “Here To Create”

Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars – In Theaters ONE NIGHT ONLY 8/21


In Theaters One Night Only 8/21

C’mon You Apes, You Wanna Live Forever?! I have only one rule. Everybody fights, no one quits. The bugs have breached Mars and the Federation’s Fleet is too far to help. It’s up to us to save the planet. On the bounce, Troopers! The only Good Bug is a Dead Bug! Oorah!

Casper Van Dien and Dina Meyer return as the voices of Johnny Rico and Dizzy Flores alongside Comedian & Starship Troopers Super Fan DeRay Davis in an all-new military adventure from the writer of Starship Troopers and Robocop, Ed Neumeier.

CRS-11 | Landing aerial footage