VES Announces 2025 Board of Directors Officers
Kim Davidson has been re-elected as Board Chair, with Susan O’Neal elected First Vice Chair, David Tanaka as Second Vice Chair, Rita Cahill as Secretary, and Jeffrey A. Okun as Treasurer.
PigBird Stop-Motion Studio Spreads its Wings One Frame at a Time
Trevor Hardy says six years spent struggling to build his animation business is akin to fiddling with a bad tooth, though his recent hugely popular music video, ‘The Happy Song,’ for Imogene Heap and newest short, ‘A Right Royal Sprout’ may signal a welcome bit of pain relief.
Veteran Animator, Director, and Producer Robert Verrall Passes at 97
The artist, celebrated for his distinguished career, from 1945-1987, as a filmmaker and later as the head of the animation department at the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), is credited with works such as the Oscar-nominated 'The Romance of Transportation in Canada,' Ryan Larkin’s ‘Walking,’ and many others.
Crunchyroll Announces April 2025 Blu-Ray Release Calendar
Launches include ‘Shangri-La Frontier’ Season 1 Part 2, ‘Berserk of Gluttony,’ ‘One Piece’ Collection 37 and ‘Chillin’ in Another World with Level 2 Super Cheat Powers.’
Xilam, Sony Pictures Networks India Renew ‘Oggy and the Cockroaches’ Partnership
Covering 423 episodes from the legacy IP, the extension also includes a L&M deal with Navneet, an extensive marketing campaign, and a mobile app.
Miam! Distribution Acquires ‘Tweedy & Fluff’ International Rights
The stop-motion animated prequel series, created by children’s author Corrinne Averiss, follows the cloth toy Tweedy and his pet Fluff, a four-legged ball of woolly fuzz.
Annecy 2025 Welcomes Michel Gondry
The visionary artist, known in part for his animation work in various music videos, will serve as Festival guest, and be awarded with an Honorary Cristal; festival runs June 8-14.
Brazilian Animated Series ‘Lulumos’ Hits YouTube
The 3DCG show, which centers on a friendly trio with a penchant for singing educational songs that invite kids to join in, dance and have fun, is now streaming.
‘Zenshu’: The Superpower of Animation
AWN’s anime columnist Andrew Osmond looks at MAPPA’s comedy fantasy, one of the best shows currently streaming, now on Crunchyroll; but first he discusses the often mis-identified universe of TV anime.
2025 Producers Guild Awards Movie and TV Nominations Announced
‘Flow,’ ‘Inside Out 2,’ ‘Moana 2,’ ‘Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’ and ‘The Wild Robot’ get the nod in the animated movie category, while ‘Dune: Part Two,’ ‘Shōgun,’ ‘The Penguin’ and ‘Wicked’ are also among the Outstanding Producer nominees.
Disney+ Drops Trailer for Pixar’s ‘Win or Lose’
No pressure… just don’t blow it! Launching February 19, the studio’s first original series takes the perspective of eight different characters as they prepare for a championship softball game.
American Society of Cinematographers Reveals 2025 Nominees
‘Dune: Part Two,’ ‘Shōgun,’ and ‘Wicked’ are among the nominees for the 39th Annual ASC Awards, recognizing outstanding achievement in cinematography; ceremony set for February 23.
Lumiere Awards Luncheon Canceled
The Advanced Imaging Society just shared that due to the impact of the tragic Southern California fires, they are canceling the 15th Annual awards celebration; winners will still be announced February 7.
9th Animarkt and Momakin Stop Moton Form – 13-17 October 2024 in Lodz, Poland
One of the most rewarding things I do each year is coaching pitching at Animarkt in Lodz, Poland. Animarkt is unique because it focuses exclusively on stop-motion animation projects.
‘You Got Moxie!’: Changing the Game of Changemaking in Entertainment
Collective Moxie founder & CEO Julie Ann Crommett, a seasoned DEI advisor and former Disney and Google executive, shares insights gleaned from her podcasts with industry leaders like Pixar’s Danielle Feinberg and Disney’s Carlos Lopez Estrada, who discuss their own experiences and how they’ve worked to embrace inclusivity and effect change in their artistic efforts.
‘The Simpsons,’ ‘Bob’s Burgers’ Lead 2025 WGA Awards Nominations for Animation
Two of FOX’s iconic series once again nabs multiple noms, with ‘Blood of Zeus’ rounding out the list; ‘Shōgun,’ ‘Fallout’ among non-animated shows also garnering multiple noms; ceremony set for February 15.
Call For Entries: Anibar Animation Festival 2025
The festival’s 16th edition will be held July 14-20 in Peja, Kosovo, showcasing animated short films from around the globe.
Nominations Announced for 2025 BAFTA Awards
‘Flow,’ ‘Inside Out 2,’ ‘Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl,’ and ‘The Wild Robot’ get the nod for Animated Film with ‘Better Man,’ ‘Dune: Part Two,’ ‘Gladiator II,’ ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,’ and ‘Wicked’ selected for Special Visual Effects.
Trailer, Voice Cast Revealed for ‘Solo Camping for Two’ Anime Series
Adapted from the manga of the same name, the show follows a devoted solo camper’s accidental encounter with a total novice that evolves into an unusual partnership; debuts this July.
Netflix Drops ‘The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep’ Official Trailer
Based on ‘Witcher’ author Andrzej Sapkowski’s short story, ‘A Little Sacrifice,’ the animated film follows Geralt of Rivia as he investigates a series of attacks in a seaside village; streams February 11.
Apple TV+ Drops ‘Eva the Owlet’ Season 2 Trailer
New episodes of the animated kids’ series center on a night in the life of Eva, premiering globally January 24 on the streamer.
‘Dune: Part Two,’ ‘The Wild Robot,’ ‘Shōgun’ and ‘The Penguin’ Lead VES Award Nominations
Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi thriller tops all feature film contenders, while Chris Sanders’ animated drama leads all animation contenders and the HBO and FX dramas top all episodic contenders as nominees are announced in 25 categories across film, television, real-time, and special venue projects; ceremony set for February 11 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in LA.
‘Ghost Cat Anzu’ Headed to Blu-ray, Major Digital Platforms
Available on Blu-ray starting March 4, the animated film that follows a teen girl and a cat that accidentally make a deal with the devil will also stream on major digital platforms starting January 28.
The Animation Workshop Announces 2025 Graduates
Five short films and two video game trailers were produced by the 48 character animators and computer graphic artists who will graduate on January 17.
Academy Issues 97th Oscars Update
Nominations voting period extended due to the ongoing Los Angeles fires and their impact; AMPAS has changed some key dates and events on its awards season schedule.