Aug
31
A 1965 closing logo for the Australia’s National Television Network, now known as the Nine Network. There were four networks in Australia at the time.
Aug
31
New dragons, new fire
Posted in: Animation
As season 7 of Game of Thrones wrapped up, I had the opportunity to chat to Joe Bauer and Steve Kullback who lead the VFX effort on the show. This time we talked about the approach to dragons, and within that, the approach to fire. Check it out at VFX Voice, including a hint at what’s to come in season 8.
Aug
31
Digital Domain, one of the largest and most innovative providers of visual effects and immersive experiences, and Universal Brand Development, today announced DreamWorks Voltron VR Chronicles, the first ever virtual reality adventure for Netflix original series DreamWorks Voltron Legendary Defender.
In DreamWorks Voltron VR Chronicles, viewers become a Paladin of Voltron and blast through time and space to save the Universe from dangerous alien threats in a fully immersive environment with interactive elements. Fans join forces with characters Lance, Hunk, Pidge, Keith, Shiro, Allura and Coran in a narrative where they fight back against the relentless threat of Zarkon by solving puzzles and conquering challenges.
“We are excited to collaborate with Digital Domain to create a deep ‘in-world’ experience that allows fans to step inside the world of DreamWorks Voltron Legendary Defender and create their own memorable adventure,” said Universal Brand Development executive vice president of games and digital platforms Chris Heatherly. “This interactive narrative experience allows us to creatively extend the series’ storylines, putting fans in the center of the action.”
The experience will be episodic, with the the first called Seeds of Corruption. To ensure the VR title is as close to the original TV series as possible, Digital Domain utilised the voice talents of the cartoons actors whilst enlisting the help of the showrunners who provided their writing expertise.
“We are big fans of the Voltron franchise and wanted to create an experience that would captivate existing fans and also introduce the story in a compelling way for new ones,” added Digital Domain director of creative development Wayne Kennedy. “With DreamWorks Voltron VR Chronicles, we are pioneering the next evolution of interactive storytelling in a fully-immersive setting.”
DreamWorks Voltron VR Chronicles will launch on 26 September 2017. The experience will be available for US $14.99 on PlayStation VR via the PlayStation Network, HTC Vive and Oculus Rift via the Steam entertainment platform and Oculus Rift via the Oculus online store.
The critically acclaimed series DreamWorks Voltron Legendary Defender reimagines one of the most popular fan-favorite shows of all time in a comedic action-packed show from executive producer Joaquim Dos Santos (The Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender) and co-executive producer Lauren Montgomery (The Legend of Korra). Five unsuspecting teenagers, transported from Earth into the middle of a sprawling intergalactic war, become pilots for five robotic lions in the battle to protect the universe from evil. Only through the true power of teamwork can they unite to form the mighty warrior known as Voltron. Season four premieres on Netflix on 13 October 2017.
The post Digital Domain to bring DreamWorks Voltron Legenday Defender to PlayStation VR appeared first on AnimationXpress.
Aug
31
iAniMagic to build diverse community for animators through online animation contest
Posted in: AnimationKdan Mobile, a software company based out of Taiwan, is set to launch its online annual animation contest, iAniMagic 2017.
The contest will focus on building a diverse community for animators and artists by changing software regulations, allowing teamwork and adding features for educational institutions and their students. iAniMagic 2017 will accept submissions from 1 August to 3 November, 2017.
iAniMagic 2017 requires its participants to submit 2D animations varying in length from 15 to 120 seconds, created either alone or in a team of up to five, using any software to express their thoughts on the theme: The Future.
All participants have to do is visit Kdan Mobile’s AniZone website, go to the contest page and submit their work.
“Technology is the future. As a tech company, we know this requires a lot of imagination. We want to encourage participants to stretch their minds,” stated AniZone project leader and chief designer Kevin Huang.
Since its inception in 2011, iAniMagic has received over 680 submissions from over 70 nations, given over $20,000 in prizes and hosted many reputable industry professionals as judges.
Among this year’s judges is Gabe Swarr, Nickelodeon Animation Studios supervising producer in development. Swarr has worked on projects such as the movies Kung Fu Panda and Casper Meets Wendy, as well as various episodes of The Jetsons.
Joining Swarr are other reputable industry artists: Lyndon Ruddy (The Emoji Movie, Planes series, The Nut Job), Basil Chen (Kung Fu Bunny, Monkey King: Hero is Back), and Sun Gia Lung (Sword Art Online, Dragon Ball Z: God and God, Gin Tama).
“We are excited to watch the contest grow,” says Kdan Mobile CEO Kenny Su. According to Su, broadening the tools that participants can use to create their work and allowing for collaboration are just the beginning.
He adds, “We want to make AniZone, our online platform for independent animations, a diverse community for all animators and artists to connect and grow. We remember what it was like as a start-up with little experience and resources. We want to build long-term relationships with educational institutions and encourage young artists and animators by providing resources for their budding careers.”
AniZone is a community of animation fans who have different backgrounds and skills. Animators from around the world can publish their original works, exchange ideas and build up a network in AniZone, a free platform for the enthusiasts.
The post iAniMagic to build diverse community for animators through online animation contest appeared first on AnimationXpress.
Aug
31
The official entrants to the PIAFF 2017
The Paris International Film Festival 2017 is almost here, and these prodigious, young animation talents from Toon Club Mumbai will put India on the global animation map. Their films have been selected for the annual festival and will be gunning for the top honours.
Animation Xpress got in touch with Ruchee Ajwani (grade seven student of Ecole Mondiale in 2016), Tavishi Kapoor (a student of Cartoon Walk program at American School of Bombay and Toon’in on Saturdays Program at Toon Club) and Shivani Shrotri (grade six student of Ecole Mondiale in 2017) who along with their groups, produced animation films that have caught the international market by awe.
Why did you learn animation?
Ruchee: Last year in the arts class, we were learning about Warli (a style of tribal art) and also discussed the issue of deforestation. We felt that we needed a method to propagate this using art. So we thought animation is the best bet because it is extremely relevant in modern age and also the best way to spread awareness in a unique way.
Tavishi Kapoor
Tavishi: I started learning animation because it is a nice form of art. It is a great skill to learn and helps me beat stress. It’s just fun doing animation.
Shivani: During our art class, we were taught the history of arts. We learnt about the Egyptians and other case paintings. So we thought while doing this, we could also express ourselves. Hence we thought animation would be a good choice.
What is the best part about animation according to you?
Ruchee: I think animation gives us freedom to express our ideas while still using a fixed format. It is also very intriguing and fascinating.
Tavishi: It’s a way to make a non-living thing move. It’s like magic. Many people wonder how you do it, and knowing it is really good.
Shivani: I think the best thing is using the light table and morphing. It’s quite fun!
When you first came to know your film was selected for the PIAFF, what was your reaction?
Ruchee: This was actually a group work by which we did our own pieces of work and later combined them together. Yet, we were honoured to get this opportunity.
Tavishi: I feel like I’m already an animator and felt very happy that such a big thing has happened. My teachers congratulated me as well and they liked my work too.
Shivani: Since this was a collaborative work, all of us were very excited. It is the first film to get selected and it is also one of our first animation at middle year programme (MYP) in Ecole Mondiale school.
Can you tell us about your film in short?
Ruchee: We tried to propagate the use of Warli because it is a tradition that has helped us express ourselves throughout these years, but felt the need to express further. Also, deforestation is a relevant issue that people should know of.
Tavishi: The first film was Amazing Animals and we were working in a pair. It has two animals, one controlled by each person. This is a silhouette film. We took a black paper, made the shapes of our animals and cut them out. We did not make the whole animal at once, but went about it part-by-part. We made the hands, the legs, and so on, and then joined them with a thread. Due to this we were able to move the animal, little by little and clicked the picture.
Group of kids working on the ‘Egyptian Clans’ film
Shivani: We worked on Egyptian arts and hieroglyphics. We had to write our names in hieroglyphics and also make characters. The morphing process involved was quite challenging because it was the first time we were doing it.
What were your parents’ reactions?
Ruchee: Our parents were very pleased with our work. They also encouraged us to continue in future.
Do you wish to be an animator in future?
Ruchee: I’m not very sure of that yet, but I’m very fascinated by art and interested in that. So if presented with an opportunity, then I’d definitely take up the chance.
Tavishi: I really wish to be an animator in future. I want to make films. I’ve already written a few scripts. I want to make a film about how women are abused and want to stop that.
Shivani: Though I find it fascinating and interesting, am not sure yet. But I’m definitely going to think about it.
Another young animator destined for PIAFF, Maulin Thakkar
Animation Xpress also caught up with Tavishi’s mother Dhaarna Arora, who talks about nurturing the young talent, narrow societal views and the role Toon Club played in shaping her child’s animation skills.
Why did you choose to let your kid learn animation?
One reason was obviously because she is a creative child. Additionally it is a good medium and a mechanism to express her thoughts and ideas. That’s the reason we enrolled her for animation.
Do you see her taking up animation as a career? Or do you think she should go in her conventional line of engineering or MBA?
That’s exactly what we don’t want her to do! But you never know. It is ultimately her choice and if she chooses animation as her career option, then we would be happy.
What was your reaction on her film being selected?
I think it’s amazing. It’s a great motivation. Gratification normally happens over a period of time. But when something like this happens, when you get appreciation at a forum like this, it’s a huge motivator for the child. It’s extremely gratifying.
What are your views on animation in India?
I think there is a lot of ground we have to cover. As a society we’ve been caught up with something conventional, so somehow children are not encouraged to be creative and original. That’s where we lack as a society. So when I compare the animation of the west to that of India, we have a lot of ground to cover, whether it is the quality of the animation or the originality or the finesse.
Do you have any association with animation?
No. I’m in a very conventional line of job.
Your views on Toon Club as a learning phase?
The experience with Tehzeeb at Toon Club has been amazing. We started with a very small program at American school and that’s how we got to know Tehzeeb. We enrolled for one module, then another, and then another one. She is extremely child-friendly and has been truly able to enthuse the kids.
Toon Club founder Tehzeeb Khurana with kids
The other day my child was mentioning I should never be missing the classes as it is really important. It’s a great value addition. She is following it the conventional way so with the whole drawing, stitching people together and doing the voice-over, she is really starting with the basics. If the kids are interested in technology, they can take that up anytime. But something like this, which starts with the basics, tries to save this whole age-old art of animation, is something which Tehzeeb is doing really well.
When do you think should parents let their children learn animation? What’s the right age?
I’d say anytime after seven. First time when Tavishi was introduced to animation, she was almost eight. So she started as early as that. For a child to understand the nuances, such as head-turning, they should be seven to eight years old. Anywhere between eight to ten years is a good, ripe age to start.
The post These young animators are all set to fly high! appeared first on AnimationXpress.
Aug
31
Green Gold Animation Founder and CEO Rajiv Chilaka
Mumbai: Visitors to Asia’s leading entertainment content market and conference event – Reed Exhibitions’s Asia Television Forum in Singapore will get to see Indian animation studio Green Gold Animation getting prominence. The Indian studio has become the first Indian company to get behind as the sponsor of the ATF Animation Pitch which is being introduced at the confab this year on 28 November to 1 December. The competition is being positioned as the premier Asian pitching competition for creators and producers of innovative concepts for new and original animation targeting kids, and is aimed at facilitating the exchange of ideas and talent between leading international television, distribution and Asian-based producers.
ATF has opened its call for entries from today for the live pitch which will take place on 30 November 2017 in conjunction with the annual trade event. This platform will showcase the best of Asian originality and expose ideas for export and development within and even outside the region.
Green Gold Animation vice president content sales Bharath Laxmipati
Backed by Green Gold Animation, India’s largest animation production company that caters primarily to children, ATF Animation Pitch 2017 is set to become Asia’s top-flight pitching competition. With the tagline, “Think. Believe. Dream. And finally… Dare”, ATF Animation Pitch 2017 is open to all creators and producers from around Asia (individuals, students and small to medium-sized companies), keen to present their new and original, animated shorts, series and feature films in the genres of comedy, adventure, action, fantasy.
The winner will receive a US$19,000 prize from Green Gold Animation, comprising a $2,500 cash award and a consultancy package worth $16,500 that is tailor made for the winner to develop their animation making it ready to pitch to broadcasters.
As part of the bespoke consultancy package, Green Gold Animation’s leading executives will also share their expertise in areas such as marketing, writing a pitch document, global format sales opportunities, trailer and sizzle preparation, production budgeting, talent payments, press publicity, the global sales process and editing.
The first round of judging will be led by Green Gold Animation founder and CEO Rajiv Chilaka and Green Gold Animation (USA) vice president and head of US operations Marc Lumer with inputs from the company’s acquisitions and marketing teams led by vice-president, content sales Bharath Laxmipati.
Shortlisted participants will then progress to the live pitching event, where they have the opportunity to pitch their ideas in front of some of the industry’s most experienced veterans, including senior executives from Green Gold Animation. Leading commissioning editors will also be on stage, offering advice and commentary on the ideas pitched.
“Being surrounded by passionate and ambitious people, who share a similar love for animation is a great way to feel inspired and expand intellectual horizons. It is also important to give back to the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the animation industry, foster creativity and innovation. After all, animation is the craft of the soul,” says Chilaka about the company’s rationale for supporting ATF Animation Pitch.
“We are extremely proud to launch the inaugural ATF Animation Pitch with one of Asia’s biggest players in the industry – this is a true reflection of the potential of a rising Asia. Just as our existing pitch competitions – ATF Formats Pitch and Southeast Asian Film Financing Project Market have nurtured Asia’s talent pool and created a culture of excellence in content, we are confident that ATF Animation Pitch will be another significant element within ATF that will allow us to be the enabler of so much merit across this vast and diverse continent,” says Reed Exhibitions ATF senior project director Yeow Hui Leng.
The post Green Gold backs first animation pitch at Asia Television Forum appeared first on AnimationXpress.
Aug
31
Mumbai: Turner India and Amazon Prime Video have announced a strategic tie-up that will see Cartoon Network’s popular kids shows play on Amazon Prime Video.
This content licensing deal will see Cartoon Network’s Ben 10, Ben 10: Alien Force, Ben 10: Ultimate Alien, Ben 10 Omniverse, Grim Adventures of Billy Mandy, Johnny Bravo, Powerpuff Girls, Kumbh Karan, Roll No. 21 and Dexter’s Laboratory and many more shows that will play on Amazon Prime Video under the kids and family TV section.
Kids today are consuming and engaging with their favourite content across diverse screens such as computers and mobile screens. This is increasing with the emergence of new OTT platforms and the rise in use of apps for games as an entertainment and learning activity.
Turner, a pioneer in the kids’ entertainment space in India, has been at the forefront of providing engaging experiences to kids both on TV and beyond and the collaboration with Amazon Prime Video reaffirms Turner’s commitment to engage with its fans anytime, anywhere.
The post Popular shows of Cartoon Network to be now shown on Amazon Prime Video appeared first on AnimationXpress.
Aug
31
Qyuki Media has collaborated with Flipkart to bring its newest creation – a 360-degree fashion video titled ‘Mera Joota Hai Japani’ with spatial audio featuring the digital superstar Arjun Kanungo.
In this all-round immersive experience, the new song used a refreshed rendition of the classic hit. Spatial sound allows the user to hear a different version of the soundtrack by simply turning around. This technology has never been used by a brand in a music video before. The interactive content allows the viewer to explore 360 degrees of the video to see the latest fashion trends from Flipkart in an innovative manner.
Through this video, Qyuki and Flipkart have created a groundbreaking concept for brands and enabled Flipkart to deliver a special 360 degree video with different audio themes to its customers. Combined with the technological prowess of YouTube, the video is a showcase of cutting-edge innovation on the internet.
This is the third in a series of projects Qyuki has been spearheading with Flipkart, after a successful gamified music video with Rapper Ishq Bector and a second track with musical duo Maati-Baani.
Qyuki co-founder and MD Samir Bangara
Qyuki co-founder and MD Samir Bangara shared, “We have created a brand new way of consuming content for Flipkart. It is not only important to innovate on the ideas end but also on the technology front. With Flipkart, we have created a stellar experience that will transport customers to an immersive world of fashion to pique their curiosity. We are stoked to be associated with a strong brand who has its customer’s best interests at heart.”
Flipkart CMO Shoumyan Biswas commented, “Flipkart is the market leader in fashion amongst all online businesses. Our vision is to be India’s most preferred destination for trendy and affordable fashion and our category communication task is to ‘Democratize Trendy Fashion’ for every Indian consumer.”
“In our endeavour to showcase trendy fashion in an interesting and innovative format, we have engaged with Qyuki and Google to come up with a first of a kind 360 degree music video that combines a new technology with the evergreen music classic “Mera joota hai japaani” and latest fashion trends. Our fashion is for everyone and hence we wanted the right technology to enable the same being experienced by all. This video will revolutionize the way consumers across various demographics view and experience trendy fashion,” Biswas said.
The post Qyuki Media and Flipkart join hands for VR fashion video appeared first on AnimationXpress.
Aug
30
Web Animation for Motion Designers
Posted in: Animation
Animators and motion designers are increasingly working on the web. But how can you make the transition? Do you have the skills you need? How do you even get started?
Who's in charge here?
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A. during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.