Promote Yourself: DHX Media to acquire Family Channel and three other children’s channels from Bell Media

DHX Media to acquire Family Channel
and three other children’s channels from Bell Media

 

Transaction expected to be materially accretive, provide strong and stable cash flow,

revenue diversification

 

Halifax, Canada – (November 28, 2013) – DHX Media Ltd. (“DHX” or the “Company”) (TSX: DHX) has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Family, the most-viewed children’s channel in Canada, as well as Disney XD, Disney Junior (English-language channel) and Disney Junior (French-language channel) (together the “Family Channel Business”) from Bell Media for approximately $170 million in cash, subject to certain customary post-closing adjustments. The purchase price is expected to be financed with an expanded underwritten credit facility and with cash on hand. The transaction is expected to close in 2014 pending approval by the Competition Bureau and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (“CRTC”) and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.

 

“The acquisition of these high-quality Canadian channels represents an exciting new addition to DHX, one that complements and enhances all areas of our business and positions us for our next stage of growth” said Michael Donovan, CEO of DHX Media.

 

“Broadcasting is a natural extension for the company,” added Steven DeNure, President and COO of DHX Media. “The acquisition of Family Channel further enhances our ability to operate as a vertically integrated player in the global children’s content business.”

 

Family, the number one channel across all kids audiences was launched in 1988 and has approximately 5.7 million subscribers and an English market share of 29.6% for viewers 2 to 17 (based on Broadcast Bureau of Measurement data for broadcast year 2011/2012). Over the trailing 12 months ended August 2013, these channels generated revenue of approximately $81 million and Direct EBITDA (before corporate allocations) of approximately $27 million (unaudited). Over the past three years, revenue has increased at a compounded rate of approximately 7%.

 

 

Additional Information on Acquired Channels

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Jobs: Technicolor 3D VFX Supervisor

logoJOB DESCRIPTION

Technicolor Creative Services, Inc.is seeking a 3D VFX Supervisor for its Santa Monica, CA lctn to create motions, gestures, & expressions of 3D comp graphics characters & objects. Must have a bach deg or foreign degr equiv in Comp Aided Design, Animation & Industrial Design or rltd fld + 3 yrs of exp in rltd occptn of a 3D artist at a commercial VFX house. Salary DOE. Send cov ltr & resume to Technicolor Creative Services, Inc., HR – Job #1113-2334,
2255 N. Ontario Street, Suite 180, Burbank, CA 91504. Los Angeles Times 2013-11-22Source – Los Angeles Times

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Please refer to the Job Description to view the requirements for this job

JOB SNAPSHOT

Other Pay0
Employment TypeFull-Time
Job TypeDesign, Information Technology
EducationNot Specified
ExperienceNot Specified
Manages OthersNo
RelocationNo
IndustryBroadcasting – Radio – TV
Required TravelNot Specified
Job ID1952816

Elena and Olivia Ceballos

What is your name and your current occupation?
Our names are Elena and Olivia Ceballos. We are 17 year old twin sisters and are currently in high school. We plan to attend an art college that would help us in our artistic endeavors, and to study animation along the way.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
So far, we have helped with some backdrops for our school plays, and are currently working on commissions for various people. We hope to take part in something bigger! Although those things may seem like small, insignificant projects, we know that it will help us with a basic understanding and foundation for much bigger business opportunities.

How did you become interested in animation?
Well, we have always loved to draw and had a passion for art and movies since our early childhood, but we were never interested in working for animation, until Continue reading

Promote Yourself: Wildseed Studios announces a new raft of six new pilots

wildseed

UK based IP incubator Wildseed Studios announces a new raft of six new pilots including a comedy featuring Green Wing star Michelle Gomez as a right wing agony aunt, new animation from Tom Gran and Martin Woolley (AKA the Spin Kick Bros), a new show from Funny Women winner Gabby Best, and animation from award-winning director Matthew Walker.

London, UK – creator led next gen IP incubator Wildseed Studios announces details of six new pilots including Heather’s American Medicine, a new comedy created by and starring Michelle Gomez (Green Wing, The Book Group and Bad Education), a new animated sitcom from award-winning animation director Matthew Walker, three animated series from the Spin Kick Bros, and a new show for Funny Women winner, Gabby Best.

Lone_Wolves_tom_martin

Lone Wolves teaser (work in progress)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4Hubm77zcw

Bristol based animators Tom Gran and Martin Woolley, AKA the Spin Kick Bros fresh from making their first show for Cartoon Hangover in the US, have been signed to Wildseed Studios for three pilots including: Lone Wolves – a sitcom about a family of hard-as-nails bikers trying to live together, Rajesh Finesse – an Anglo-Indian aristo cad getting in and out of scrapes with his gentlemanly English manservant and Buck and Rick – a serialised western-style revenge comedy about improbable twins out to avenge the murder of their mother.

“As soon as we met with Tom and Martin we knew we were in the presence of some serious talent – it’s not every day you come across three fully formed brilliant, irreverent, wicked shows boxed up and ready to go. We didn’t play it cool – we jumped straight in!” said Cleverly, “Adult animation is a massive category globally, and represents a huge untapped opportunity for Wildseed Studios – it is a genre we are determined to unlock in the UK.”

 

Michelle Gomez

Heather’s American Medicine teaser
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crEAe5hoxmw

A new comedy featuring Green Wing star Michelle Gomez as a right wing agony aunt, Heather’s American Medicine features Heather McAfferty, a no-nonsense Scottish Agony Aunt whose mission is to cure America’s woes, one whiplash slap-down at a time. Heather’s American Medicine sees her reply to video problems sent in by troubled Americans struggling with the madness of modern life in the hope that her Medicine will cure rather than kill them. But as Heather says – “if it didn’t taste so bad – it wouldn’t work so good!”.

Wildseed Creative Director Jesse Cleverly said: “We’ve been big fans of Michelle’s work for a long time and are absolutely delighted to be working with her on her new character ‘Heather’. It’s Wildseed’s mission both to discover emerging talent and work with established names like Michelle who are attracted to the creative space we provide to creators to explore their creative ambitions.”

“Working with Wildseed gave me the chance to find my own voice creatively” said Gomez. “Most of your career as an actor you’re trying to tell someone else’s story or convey someone else’s viewpoint or politics but I got the chance to comment on where we are at in society today from my own perspective, uncensored and supported. We were able to create a character who we hope will be able to talk to the people, point out all the ways in which they are so very wrong, and hopefully insult them horribly in the process! “

Gabby Best as Marijana at the Funny Women Awards 2012

https://vimeo.com/m/64089136

Winner of Funny Women 2012, Gabby Best is developing a new character which will make its Wildseed debut early in 2014. “We’re really attracted to strong, female comedy characters” said Cleverly “and Gabby encapsulates all of that, and more. Since she won Funny Women in 2012 we’ve seen her grow from strength to strength and hope our collaboration can add more fuel to her comedy fire!”

Image converted using ifftoany

Astronauts (clip from the original short film)

Wildseed Studios has also signed ‘Astronauts’ an animation series based on the acclaimed short from Bristol-based animation director Matthew Walker. The studios are in advanced discussion with A-list American voice talent and networks to develop Astronauts into an adult animated TV about a mismatched pair of Astronauts on a chaotic spaceship with an incompetent crew and psychotic robot whose “kill instinct”, he constantly reassures the crew, “has been almost completely suppressed”.

Cleverly comments: “We invested in Astronauts after seeing the short film which we loved for the wonderful characters Matthew had created and the potential for expansion is represents.”

All the content Wildseed are creating with these artists will be available to view across their digital platforms in early 2014.

“Our first 6 months has all been about rolling out our proposition to the creative community,” said Miles Bullough, Wildseed Studio’s Managing Director. “We’ve had a really positive response to our offer and now, as well as maintaining the flow of new ideas coming into the Company, we can ramp up our production pipeline and start setting up our distribution channels. It’s going to be a very busy and very exciting second six months for Wildseed.”

 

News: The Animated Tales of Gwar-NSFW

Check out my friend’s Tommy Meehan and Myke Chilian’s latest twisted endeavor, The Animated Tales of Gwar, with special guest Weird Al Yankovic! DEFINITELY NSFW

The Animated Tales of GWAR!

P.S. If you don’t know who Gwar is…

From Wikipedia:

Gwar is a satirical heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia in 1984. The band is well known for its elaborate science fiction/horror film inspired costumes, obscene lyrics and graphic stage performances, which feature humorous enactments of politically and morally taboo themes. You can read more about Gwar on Wikipedia

Myke and Tommy and the craziness behind The McBusters as well which you can also see below.

We interviewed Myke Chilian back in 2012!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Promote Yourself: New trailer for The Nut Job

TNJ_One-Sheet

Open Road just released a brand new TRAILER and POSTER for their hilarious 3D animated film, THE NUT JOB! When Liberty Park doesn’t have enough food for winter, it’s up to Surly the squirrel (voiced by Will Arnett) and a rag-tag team of animals to plan a nut store heist of nut-rageous proportions! With an all-star cast, including Will Arnett, Liam Neeson, Katherine Heigl, and Maya Rudolph, this is sure to be the nuttiest movie of the year! Check out the trailer that debuted TODAY on Fandango, Fandango Family, Hulu, and Movies.com!

http://www.animationinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/The-Nut-Job-trailer.mov

SYNOPSIS:  

In animated 3D, THE NUT JOB is an action-packed comedy in fictional Oakton that follows the travails of Surly (voiced by Will Arnett), a mischievous squirrel, and his rat friend Buddy, who plan a nut store heist of outrageous proportions and unwittingly find themselves embroiled in a much more complicated and hilarious adventure.

Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNutJobMovie

#TheNutJobÂ