Monthly Archives: November 2013

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Promote Yourself: iKids Summit Announces Keynote Lance Weiler and full program

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iKIDS 2014 ANNOUNCES KEYNOTE SPEAKER, LAIKA’S ADVENTURES ARCHITECT LANCE WEILER
The full event program is now live at ikidsevent.kidscreen.com November 20, 2013: Kidscreen is thrilled to announce that Lance Weiler—the mastermind behind last year’s ground-breaking immersive educational project Laika’s Adventures—will jumpstart iKids 2014 with a keynote entitled Designing For the 21st Century. Sharing insights gleaned through helping two classrooms of kids—with a continent between them—work together to get a lost robot home, Lance will deliver a thought-provoking presentation that outlines his approach to building digital experiences for modern audiences. He’ll also explore how to take advantage of changes in media consumption, embrace emerging technologies and build franchisable storyworlds that innovate new business models.
An alumni of the Sundance Screenwriting Lab, Lance has designed experiences that have reached millions of people via theatres, mobile devices and online. He is recognized as a pioneer for the innovative way he mixes storytelling and technology, and also a thought leader in the entertainment space. Wired Magazine has identified him as “one of the 25 people helping to re-invent entertainment and change the face of Hollywood,” and Businessweek echoed the sentiment by naming him “one of the 18 who changed Hollywood.” Lance currently sits on a World Economic Forum steering committee for the future of content creation, as well as teaching courses at Columbia University on the art, craft and business of storytelling in the 21st century, and developing a slate of film, TV and gaming projects.
Kidscreen has also just unveiled the full conference program for iKids, which will take place on Thursday, February 13 at the Westin NY Times Square. In addition to the iKids Awards Ceremony and Luncheon, where the winners of our second annual awards for the market’s best digital media products for kids will be announced, highlights of the event include:
In Pursuit of the iDream
With hundreds of thousands of kid-targeted apps in the Apple App Store alone (never mind Android, Windows and other marketplaces), competition is only getting tougher for developers. Drawing on research from her upcoming book on the US app market, Dr. Carla Fisher will give a lowdown on the current kids app landscape and share tips on how to leverage its biggest possibilities and sidestep its biggest challenges.
Nick App: A making-of case study
Sitting at five million downloads and counting, Nickelodeon’s Nick App has more than made good on its promise to deliver the net’s content through fun and games wherever kids may be.

In this session, Katie Bessiere and Jane Gould from Nick’s Consumer Insights Research Group will provide an in-depth look at the role kids’ input played in designing and building this ground-breaking app and the features that are driving its audience engagement.
Playing by the Rules
First, COPPA 2.0 changed the children’s app development space in the US. And now, Apple’s new global Kids category is poised to change the game around the globe. But as the new regulations and restrictions that come along with these initiatives continue to pile up, how can IP owners and developers create apps that comply, meet parental approval, and keep kids engaged? In this session, renowned consultant Linnette J. Attai will give five essential tips for doing just that.  Making Sense with Digital Marketing. There’s no shortage of apps, websites and subscription-based diversions for kids to choose from, so how do you get your properties and products noticed in all the digital din? This panel’s group of experts will offer key insights on the marketing and promotional strategies, tactics, and tools to guide digital goods to the top of the charts.  Hot Right Now: 45 minutes, 11 slides and a lot of good ideas.
To cap off iKids 2014, five digital media pros who live on the bleeding edge of innovation will talk through 20 new things they’re excited about, and highlight what it all means for the kids industry in particular. This can’t-miss session is sure to be informative, inspiring―and a lot of fun!
iKids passes are available for $695. Anyone interested in registering can do so online at https://ikidsevent.kidscreen.com/2014/register/, or offline by contacting Event Sales Manager Joel Pinto (jpinto@brunico.com or 416-408-2300 x650).
For further details, please contact:
Janet Balmforth/Aimee Norman at DDA Blueprint PR
Tel: +44 (0) 208 868 0511 Email: janet@ddablueprint.com

 

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Cliff Parrott

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http://vimeo.com/5028526

What is your name and your current occupation?
Cliff Parrott and I am the founder of Magpie 6 Media located in Dublin, Ireland.

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I could write an entire blog on the insane jobs I had before animation. It’s hard to believe that I was an attorney practising criminal defence, bankruptcy and other aspects of law. Technically I am still an attorney, I’m just not practising any more. I didn’t enjoy being one, it was high stress. Unlike seeing a film or finished piece of artwork in an animation project, there was nothing tangible to look back on after you’ve finished with a client’s case, just paperwork. Being an attorney did give me experience with preparing for the unexpected and negotiations.

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
There are a lot of great projects but the ones that I had the most enjoyment from were the projects where the crew was a blast to work with. I was fortunate enough (or misfortunate, depending on one’s point of view), to be one of the animators on Hollywood’s first Flash feature “Lil’ Pimp.” It was produced at Revolution Studios with the idea of capitalising on the success of the relatively new animated feature hit at that time “South Park.” In fact, a lot of the South Park crew migrated to Lil’ Pimp productions. There were so many talented and very funny people. It’s unfortunate that the script was rehashed so many times. The final outcome of the movie was a watered down version that didn’t pack the punch of South Park’s movie. It came out to less than unenthusiastic reviews and went straight to DVD. I am still in touch with a lot of the people I met there.

How did you become interested in animation?
It started at a very young age, maybe 4 or 5 years old. My first love was anything from Tex Avery or Bob Clampett. The energy and timing on their films wasn’t Continue reading

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News: The History of English- Animated

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Here’s a great piece about the history of the English language. It reminds me a bit of the old Monty Python animate bits. Enjoy!

From The Open University:

Where did the phrase ‘a wolf in sheep’s clothing’ come from? And when did scientists finally get round to naming sexual body parts? Voiced by Clive Anderson, this entertaining romp through ‘The History of English’ squeezes 1600 years of history into 10 one-minute bites, uncovering the sources of English words and phrases from Shakespeare and the King James Bible to America and the Internet. Bursting with fascinating facts, the series looks at how English grew from a small tongue into a major global language before reflecting on the future of English in the 21st century.

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Promote Yourself: Oznoz Introduces Sesame Street Content in Six Languages

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Oznoz Introduces Sesame Street Content in Six Languages

OznozLaunchElmoChinesePersianNew York, November 12, 2013 – Oznoz, the new online channel for bilingual kids, is introducing Sesame Street content in six languages. Available on several platforms, kids can now watch Sesame Street and Elmo’s World in Chinese, French, Japanese, Spanish, Persian and Arabic. Titles include all-­‐time favorites like Elmo’s Potty Time and 1,2,3 Count With Me. These titles are available exclusively on Oznoz, which currently services the US and Canada.

“Sesame Workshop’s priority is to reach children and their families with engaging educational content where ever they are,” said Scott Chambers, Sesame Workshop Senior Vice President, Worldwide Media Distribution. “We are so pleased that they will now have the opportunity to laugh and learn with Elmo, Cookie, Bert, Ernie and the rest of their furry friends in a language they may be using at home or are beginning to learn.”

Oznoz platforms include the PC and iOS as well as streaming video and DVDs. Aly Jetha, Oznoz CEO said, “Sesame Street has been educating and entertaining kids around the world for over 40 years. We’re absolutely thrilled to have them as our anchor partner to introduce American and Canadian children to different languages”. On oznoz.com customers can stream Sesame Street and other shows in different languages or buy DVDs, books and games. The US and Canada has experienced a surge in bilingualism over the last decade with new Chinese, French and Spanish Immersion schools opening up every day. Immigrant families, more than ever before, acknowledge the importance of their heritage and want to pass on their language and culture. In addition, American parents realize the advantages of bilingualism in the workplace. This new trend is slowly becoming the norm, making Oznoz a useful resource to bilingual and globally minded families.

Shabnam Rezaei, Oznoz President, said, “I grew up in Austria and learned German by watching TV. Speaking multiple languages has given me such an immense advantage in my career. With Oznoz we hope to expose American children to world languages in a fun and innovative way.”

Oznoz also has an iPad app that lets customers download video for offline viewing. The channel currently has more than 200 shows, with more titles being launched every month.

About Ozno

oznoz_bilingual_kids (1)

Oznoz.com provides “stuff for bilingual kids” including cartoons and books in eleven languages such as Arabic, Japanese, Persian, French, German, Spanish and Chinese. Popular titles include Elmo’s World, Babar, Super Why, Franny’s Feet  and  Marvelous Milly. Oznoz features a multitude of bilingual books  with  famous  titles  like  “Dear Zoo” and “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” Products cover ages 0 -­‐14 and include animation, live-­‐action and much more. The Oznoz iPad app allows kids to watch videos on the go. Oznoz was founded by Aly Jetha and Shabnam Rezaei, a husband and wife team who also started Big Bad Boo, an animation studio that has been producing culturally rich, educational TV series such as Mixed Nutz  and  1001 Nights.

 

About Sesame Workshop

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Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, the landmark television program that reaches millions of children every day in more than 150 countries. The Workshop’s mission is to use the educational power of media to help children everywhere reach their highest potential. Delivered through a variety of platforms, Sesame Workshop develops research-­‐based content – including television programs, books, games, mobile apps and community engagement initiatives – that supports early childhood learning, helps prepare children for school, and addresses developmental needs. The Workshop’s programs are tailored to the needs of specific regions and focus on topics that help young children and families develop critical skills for lifelong learning. For more information, visit us at www.sesameworkshop.org.

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Promote Yourself: MYWALL INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION CONTEST

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MYWALL INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION CONTEST

Goethe-Institut and the Cortoons International Animation Film Festival jointly announce an international animation short film contest on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, www.mywallcontest.com

The contest is open to students, apprentices and alumni of international animation film schools, other educational institutions as well as freelance animation professionals, animation producers and animation film schools from all over the world, without any age limit.

The contest is open to submissions that are inspired in any way by the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and fall into the ‘Animation Film’ category. The category includes collages, cartoons, 2D or 3D animation, puppet animation, computer animation and combined live action/animation as well as other animation techniques.

Prizes will be awarded to the four best submissions.

The contest will run from 15 October 2013 to 28 February 2014.

Participation is voluntary and free of charge.

Submissions must be at least one minute long but not exceed a total length of five minutes including titles and credits.

The submitted films must not have been shown in any other festival. Only finished works will be considered.

The best films will be shown at the Cortoons Festival in march 2014 in Rome.

The Prizes:

• Goethe-Institut Prize: A trip to Berlin inclusive of 3 nights in a 4-star hotel and economy class return flights for 2 persons. The prizewinning animation film will be shown on Goethe-Institute channels for 2 weeks all over the world.

• Audience Prize: A cash award of €1,500. The winner will be selected by online public vote on Facebook.

• Cortoons Festival Prize: The prizewinning animation film will be shown for 1 month on the 4 channels of the Cortoons Festival (http://cortoons.tv/).

• Goethe-Institut/Cortoons Festival Prize for Schools: A trip to the Cortoons Festival in Rome inclusive of 3 nights in a 4-star hotel and economy class return flights for 2 persons, in March 2014.

For further informations: www.mywallcontest.com  info@mywallcontest.com