2024 Kidscreen Awards Winners Announced
The annual awards recognize the best in children’s TV and digital media; Disney nabs 20 trophies including three for ‘Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.’
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Disney Junior
All this month, watch special themed episodes of fan-favorite series, including ‘Me & Mickey’ shorts, ‘Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends,’ and ‘Alice’s Wonderland Bakery;’ also, don’t miss the ‘Super Pawesome Aww-dorable Cuddle Week: SuperKitties Marathon’ February 12-16.
Tierra Whack Releases ‘Shower Song’ Live-Action/Animation Hybrid Music Video
The 90-second short, created by the Grammy-nominated recording artist in partnership with conceptual artist Alex Da Corte, serves as the first single for the singer’s debut album, ‘WORLD WIDE WHACK,’ out March 15.
‘Solar Opposites’ Stars Riff on their V-Day Special, Jimmy Buffet, and Aging Pinots
Thomas Middleditch, Sean Giambrone, and Mary Mack sat for a rather unconventional interview to discuss their ‘An Earth Shatteringly Romantic Solar Valentine’s Day Opposites Special,’ premiering today, February 5, on Hulu.
Raman Hui Talks ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’
The ‘Monster Hunt’ director’s all-new, original 3DCG animated adventure, based on Laurence Yep’s children’s book of the same name, follows Chinese American teenager Tom Lee, whose life changes forever when he discovers he is part of a long lineage of magical protectors known as the Guardians; now streaming on Paramount+.
9 Story Media Group Acquires Portfolio Entertainment
The deal includes its library, production slate, and development projects, with founder Lisa Olfman joining the media group to drive existing projects and expand 9 Story’s business opportunities.
Em Cooper's Hand Painted ‘I’m Only Sleeping’ Scores ‘Best Music Video’ Grammy
The animator’s homage to the Fab Four wins the highly coveted ‘Best Music Video’ at this year’s music awards; the animated short celebrates the re-release of The Beatles’ seminal 1966 album, ‘Revolver,’ set to one of the album’s most iconic tracks.
Podcast EP 240: Rachel Larson and How She Made ‘The Tiny Chef Show’
The animator, director, and writer shares her journey that led from a shed rental in New Zealand to partnering with Kristen Bell and ultimately scoring a deal with Nickelodeon.
Japanese Manga Artist Ashihara Hinako Passes at 50
Shortly before her death, the artist and author of ‘Sexy Tanaka-san’ was involved in a minor social media feud with Aizawa Tomoko, writer of the Nippon Television live-action adaptation of the work, with the artist claiming Tomoko was allowed to stray too far from the source material; fans now blame NTV for failing the deceased creative.
‘Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur’ Returns for Season 2
EP Steve Loter and Co-EP Rodney Clouden talk about their fun, wonderfully stylized Emmy-nominated series about Lunella Lafayette, a quirky and capable super-genius - and her 10-ton T-Rex, Devil Dinosaur - whose secret identity and super hero-ing on the Lower East Side continue to weigh heavily on her personal life; the 2-episode premiere hits Disney Channel and Disney XD February 2, Disney+ on February 3.
Moonbug Closes ‘Oddbods’ Studio One Animation
The London-based studio will now focus all resources on pre- and post-production, with animation work to be outsourced to third parties.
Shout! Studios Nabs ‘Digimon Adventure 02 The Beginning’ Distribution Rights
Produced by Toei Animation and based on the TV sequel ‘Digimon Adventure 02,’ the movie follows the Digi Destined, now 10 years older, and their encounter with a mysterious young man claiming to be the first-ever DigiDestined; rolling out across multiple entertainment platforms in 2024.
Apple TV+ Shares ‘Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin’ Trailer
Coming Friday February 16, the all-new ‘Peanuts’ special tells the origin story of one its most beloved characters, Franklin, and his struggles to fit in.
Stop Motion Animator and Director Mark Gustafson Passes at 63
The Oscar, Annie, Emmy, and BAFTA-winning creative, known for his work on ‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio,’ ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox,’ ‘Meet the Raisins,’ and many other stop-motion projects, has died of a heart attack.
Award Winning Animator Evert De Beijer has Passed Away
Evert de Beijer passed away on Sunday, 28 January 2024 in Amsterdam at the age of 70
Digitales Champions Healing from Trauma with ‘Saleem,’ Jordan’s First Animated Feature
Studio co-founders Cynthia Madanat Sharaiha and husband Shadi Sharaiha discuss their 3DCG film that’s ‘not a war story’ but instead focuses on a 9-year-old boy’s recovery and hopes for his future after losing his father and living as a refugee with his mother and two sisters.
Alibaba Pictures, Studio Ghibli Forge Strategic Partnership
After meeting on January 5, both studios have signed an agreement to co-develop involving ‘The Boy and the Heron,’ as well as an immersive exhibition of Hayao Miyazaki's numerous works.
Catherine Winder Launches ‘Future Chicken’
New Canadian multi-platform digital resource teaches kids about climate change without ‘Doom and Gloom;’ fun short and long-form animated videos and immersive Roblox experiences star ‘Potato the Chicken: AKA the Future Chicken!’
Trunk Animation Crafts Villagers’ ‘That Golden Time’ Music Video
The studio creates stunning visuals that capture lead vocalist Conor O’Brien’s ‘algorithm blues;’ a moth’s unyielding attraction to a flame becomes a metaphor for people’s unyielding attraction to technology.
‘Orion and The Dark’ Kicks Off Netflix’s 2024 Feature Animation Lineup
This year’s slate, which begins February 2 with the new DreamWorks and Charlie Kaufman comedy, includes spring release dates for ‘The Casagrandes Movie,’ ‘Thelma the Unicorn,’ and ‘Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp;’ dates for ‘Ultraman: Rising,’ ‘The Imaginary,’ ‘Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie,’ ‘That Christmas,’ and ‘Spellbound’ yet to be announced.
Peacock Drops ‘Megamind vs. The Doom Syndicate’ Trailer
DreamWorks' new animated kids’ film picks up after the events of the 2010 movie with the return of Megamind’s ‘The Doom Syndicate;’ the film and its all-new companion series, ‘Megamind Rules!’ premiere with all 8 episodes on March 1.
William Shatner to Receive VES Award for Creative Excellence
The acclaimed actor-producer-director, famed for his portrayal of ‘Star Trek’s James T. Kirk across numerous TV and film projects, will be honored at the 22nd Annual VES Awards on February 21.
Corus Restructures Original Content Leadership Team
Original Programming and Corus Studios VP Lisa Godfrey, Nelvana president Pam Westman, and head of Waterside Studios Jeff Norton exit the company as Rachel Nelson and Mellany Welsh are appointed to key leadership roles.
SCAD TVfest Coming to Atlanta
The annual celebration of television and streaming is set for February 7-10, with TV creators, showrunners, producers and voice talent from shows such as Prime Video’s adult animated series ‘Hazbin Hotel,’ Netflix’s ‘Scott Pigrim Takes off,’ and Prime’s upcoming ‘The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy’ slated to attend.
Help! I Love Watching Animated Shorts
The first of three essays written by noted historian, author, and educator Karl Cohen to bring awareness to the present state of indie animated shorts and to stimulate a discussion that might lead to improvements; we start with a discussion of the ways these shorts have reached the public since the decline of theatrical cartoons.
