HIDIVE Acquires ‘The Vexations of a Shut-In Vampire Princess’
The animated fantasy comedy series follows blundering and magically-inept vampire Komari after her appointment as a Commander in the Mulnite Imperial Army; coming to the platform next month.
IBERMEDIA NEXT Reveals Co-Development Project Results at Pixelatl 2023
Final selections will receive funding from the Ibermedia Program initiative, which supports E.U. companies partnering with professionals/owners of Latin American IP; companies in Spain, Italy and Portugal submitted 104 projects for consideration.
‘Stray’ Animated Feature in Development at Annapurna Studio
Adaptation of the feline-centric post-apocalyptic adventure game, to be directed by ‘Nimona’ helmer Nick Bruno, will reflect the game’s ‘hopepunk’ themes of positivity and kindness against all odds.
Podcast EP 223: Senior Art Manager Kaye Vassey on Coming Out Trans in the Gaming Industry
Vassey shares her journeys, including how she crossed the bridge from TV and feature animation to CG gaming and what skill level is needed to be a technical artist; also learn about the short she’s currently producing.
Studio AKA Adds Director Margherita Premuroso
London-based independent animation studio expands its creative team with the Italy-based character designer, animator, and illustrator.
Exclusive: Trailer Drops for Trans-Positive ‘Pacemaker’ Musical Short
Starring 2023 Tony Award winner Alex Newell, the first-ever non-binary actor to win a Tony, multi-Grammy Award winner Philip Lawrence, and executive produced by ‘Nimona’s ND Stevenson, the 3DCG film, about a grandfather’s hopeful acceptance of his trans grandson, begins a week-long Oscar-qualifying run September 15 at the Cinelounge Sunset in Hollywood.
‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever’ Coming to Disney+
Based on the popular book series by Jeff Kinney, the film follows a disaster-prone middle school student who is having an especially stressful holiday season; streaming in December.
Call for Entries: 51st Annie Awards
ASIFA-Hollywood’s annual celebration of excellence in animation is set for February 17, 2024 at UCLA’s Royce Hall; the early submission deadline is October 16, with final entries accepted through December 8.
Framestore Adds 2 VFX Supervisors to Montreal Team
The studio’s Québec facility celebrates 10th anniversary and announces addition of Francois Lambert and Jeremy Robert as VFX supervisors; recent deliveries include ‘Barbie,’ ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ and ‘Foundation’ Season 2.
Paramount Teams with Kid Cudi on ‘Star Trek: Boldly Be’ Campaign
New collaboration includes music, interactive gaming, fashion, and an invitation to fans to share their ‘boldest’ moments.
Jennifer Lee Dishes on ‘The Princess and the Frog’ Sequel Series ‘Tiana’
Walt Disney Animation Studios' Chief Creative Officer hints at a ‘new direction’ for the beloved character who embarks upon a new adventure as the newly crowned Princess of Maldonia, though a calling to her New Orleans past isn’t far behind; the show arrives on Disney+ in 2024.
Redband Trailer Drops for ‘The Boys’ Spinoff ‘Gen V’
The anticipated ‘The Boys’ spinoff series from Amazon Studios and Sony Pictures Television will premiere exclusively September 29 on Prime Video; VFX studios on the show include DNEG, Ingenuity Studios, Luma Pictures, Pixomondo, ReDefine, and Rocket Science VFX.
Natasha Anne Francis Joins BOT VFX as Executive Producer
The industry veteran brings 30+ years of experience across television and film with credits on projects including ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,’ ‘Tron: Legacy,’ ‘Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey’ and ‘The Orville.’
DreamWorks and DNEG Alum Archie Donato Joins Jellyfish Pictures
The industry veteran comes on board as creative director of animation as the studio expands into feature animation and high-end TV; animation division also recently welcomed Chrissy Metge as executive producer and Louis Flores as VFX supervisor.
Crunchyroll Drops ‘Attack on Titan Final Season The Final Chapters Special 1’ Dub
The episode follows a crew of Eren’s old allies and enemies as they band together to try and stop his deadly mission; streams on Crunchyroll September 10.
TBS Shares Exclusive ‘American Dad!: A Little Mystery’ Clip
In the all-new episode airing this Monday, September 11, Hayley makes Jeff get a friend to add some mystery to their relationship but gets more mystery than she bargained for – think meerkats!
‘Elemental’ Hits Disney+ Next Week
New spot teases September 13 streaming debut of Disney and Pixar’s original 3DCG animated comedy; releasing the same day are ‘Good Chemistry: The Story of Elemental,’ a ‘making of’ documentary, and Pixar’s short, ‘Carl’s Date’ starring Dug, the infamous talking dog.
19 NFB Films Heading to OIAF 2023
Official competition selections include ‘The Girl with the Red Beret’ by Janet Perlman, ‘Miserable Miracle’ by Ryo Orikasa, ‘HARVEY’ by Janice Nadeau and ‘Boat People’ by Thao Lam and Kjell Boersma; NFB programs include NFB HOTHOUSE@20 and Show-and-tell with the NFB Animation & Interactive Studio.
Puget Systems Teams With Vu on ‘Vu One’
The just announced single solution turnkey virtual production platform integrates creative and collaborative software tools and hardware for increased efficiency; the platform is now available and rolls out globally Q4 2023.
Netflix Shares ‘Castlevania: Nocturne’ Trailer and Images
The Vampire Messiah looks to enslave humanity in 1792 France in the ‘Castlevania’ universe’s next installment, which streams September 28.
Black Kite Rocks VFX for the Rolling Stones ‘Angry’ Single
The legendary rockers are back with their 78th music video - tapping Riff Raff’s Francois Rousselet to direct, the VFX studio returned 60s-style rock billboards to the Sunset Strip, using vintage footage and 2D and 3D roto in a drive through the iconic bands’ legendary career.
Cartoon Forum’s ‘Animation UK Meets Europe’ Unveiled
Animation UK spearheads the animated TV pitching and co-production special initiative where U.K. creatives will share 5 projects; event takes place September 18-21 in Toulouse.
Stellar Speaker Lineup Set for VIEW 2023
Italy’s premier international event boasts a roster of award-winning guests, including ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ co-director Joaquim Dos Santos, BAFTA Award winner and Oscar nominee Henry Selick, and Netflix’s ‘Nimona’ directors Nick Bruno and Troy Quane; event runs October 15-20.
‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Season 4 Debuts on Paramount+
The hugely popular animated comedy that boldly goes – but not too boldly – ‘where no man has gone before,’ streams the first two Season 4 episodes today - September 7.
Trailer, Poster Drop for 20th Century Studios’ Unearthly ‘No One Will Save You’
The sci-fi psychological thriller, told through the eyes of a lonely young woman with a painful backstory - played by Kaitlyn Dever - streams on Hulu September 22; VFX studios include Clear Angle Studios, DNEG, and FuseFX.
