LEGENDARY ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATED ANIMATOR  GLEN KEANE TO DIRECT  “OVER THE MOON” FOR  PEARL STUDIO AND NETFLIX

Animated Musical Adventure Film to Debut on Netflix and
In Theaters in China in 2020
(Los Angeles, Feb. 6 at 1:00 PM/Shanghai, China, Feb. 7) — Legendary Academy Award® nominated animator Glen Keane will direct Pearl Studio’s OVER THE MOON as a world premiere animated film exclusively for Netflix, it was jointly announced today by Peilin Chou, Chief Creative Officer of Pearl Studio and Melissa Cobb, Vice President of Kids & Family for Netflix. 
OVER THE MOON is an animated musical adventure feature film about a girl who builds a rocket ship and blasts off to the moon in hopes of meeting a legendary Moon Goddess. The film will be released in 2020, theatrically in China, and to Netflix members around the world.
Keane most recently directed the acclaimed Academy Award® nominated animated short film DEAR BASKETBALL, which won Best Animated Short this past weekend at the 45th Annual Annie Awards honoring the best in Animation. He is a multi-award winning distinguished veteran of Walt Disney Feature Animation who trained under Walt Disney’s legendary 9 Old Men. He is considered one of the most important creative forces in contemporary animation and was the lead animator who brought to life many of the most beloved modern classic Disney characters, such as Ariel in THE LITTLE MERMAID, the title characters in POCAHONTAS, ALADDIN, and TARZAN, as well as the Beast in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, along with RAPUNZEL and countless others. His debut work as an animator was featured in THE RESCUERS for the characters of Bernard and Penny, alongside the famed Ollie Johnston. He animated Elliott the Dragon in PETE’S DRAGON and was responsible for the climactic bear showdown in THE FOX AND THE HOUND. His career has been both profound and prestigious. In 2012, he left Disney to form Glen Keane Productions as a way to further his artistic explorations in animation, design, and film.
For OVER THE MOON, he will bring his considerable talent, artistry and experience to this modern-day retelling of the classic Chinese myth. The film is written by Audrey Wells (SHALL WE DANCE, UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN), produced by Gennie Rim (DEAR BASKETBALL, DUET) and executive produced by Janet Yang (JOY LUCK CLUB, PEOPLE VS LARRY FLYNT). Songs will be written by Christopher Curtis (CHAPLIN: The Musical), Marjorie Duffield, and Helen Park (KPOP).
“I am powerfully drawn to characters who believe the impossible is possible,” said Keane. “OVER THE MOON has just such a heroine as its centerpiece. The compelling script by Audrey Wells has tremendous heart and humor that called to me and I had to respond. I’m honored to bring this story to life alongside my producer Gennie Rim. We are both looking forward to creating a wonderful film and partnership with Melissa Cobb at Netflix and Peilin Chou at Pearl Studio.”
“Glen Keane is one of the most beloved and respected animation talents in the world,” said Peilin Chou, Chief Creative Officer for Pearl Studio. “His contributions to the art form are legendary and as Pearl Studio launches our operations, I can not imagine a more exciting or important director to bring the enormous scope, truth and soul of OVER THE MOON to life. We are beyond thrilled to be partnering with Glen and Netflix on the creation of this beautiful and enchanting film.”
“We are thrilled to partner with the brilliant Glen Keane, one of the most creative and visionary directors working in animation, and the team at Pearl Studio on the magical OVER THE MOON,” said Cobb. “Full of imagination and adventure, and set against a visually stunning backdrop that only Keane and writer Audrey Wells and their teams could create, we know OVER THE MOON will fascinate and inspire our Netflix members around the world.”
About Pearl Studio
Pearl Studio is one of the world’s leading creators of animated entertainment for the global family market and is currently in production on EVEREST, to be released worldwide through Universal Pictures in 2019. Within China, it will be distributed by Pearl Studio. Headquartered in Shanghai with branches in New York and Los Angeles, the studio is backed by CMC Capital Partners-led consortium. Pearl Studio is focused on Animation Film Production, Copyright Operations, Ancillary Businesses (Merchandising, Joint Promotion, Interactive Entertainment and Location Based Entertainment) and Digital Content. The company was previously operated as a Joint Venture known as Oriental DreamWorks, which co-produced the first American-Chinese animated co-production KUNG FU PANDA 3, which generated more than $500M in Worldwide Box Office revenues and was one of the most successful animated films ever released in China.
About Netflix
Netflix is the world’s leading internet entertainment service with over 117 million members in over 190 countries enjoying more than 140 million hours of TV shows and movies per day, including original series, documentaries and feature films. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nearly any internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.

Teaser for Animation First’s Opening Night featuring Erotic Animated Shorts

Animation First challenges the public perception that animation is just for kids, which can be exemplified through this clever and funny Opening Night teaser trailer. The teaser begins with some clips from the trailer of the beloved 3D family film Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants, followed by a title card that then reads, “Send the kids home, stay for the shorts!” after which, we see clips from the Erotic Animated Shorts, where animators let their imaginations run wild. Sensual, erotic, naughty, poetic or risqué, these fanciful and unconventional shorts celebrate passion, desire and fantasies.
With 12 US and New York premieres, Animation First presents ambitious, innovative, and award-winning animated feature and short films, virtual reality, video games, and more, coming out of France’s most exciting studios and art schools. Animation First features special screenings and events for all ages, putting audiences in the front seat of 3D animation, works in progress, interactive workshops on drawing and sound effects, gaming demonstrations, and panel discussions with leading artists and studio executives.

The Erotic Animated short film titles are:
  • Tempête dans une chambre à coucher (Storm in a Bedroom), Laurence Arcadias, Juliette Marchand, 2011. 11 min. No dialogue.
  • Braise (Ember), Hugo Frassetto, 2012. 7 min. In French with English Subtitles.
  • Tram (Tram), Michaela Pavlátová, 2012. 7 min. No dialogue.
  • Des câlins dans les cuisines (Cuddles in the kitchens). Sébastien Laudenbach, 2004. 8 min. No dialogue.
  • Daphné ou la belle plante (Daphné or the good-looking girl), Sylvain Derosne, Sébastien Laudenbach, 2015. 15 min. In French with English Subtitles.
  • Fol’Amor (Fol’Amor), Augustin Clermont, Gilles Cortella, 2013. 2 min. No dialogue
  • Qui j’ose aimer (Who to Love), Laurence Deydier Hugo Frassetto, 2015. 7 min. No dialogue.
  • Chaud Lapin (Horny Evil), Flora Andrivon, Soline Bejuy, Maël Berreur, 2014. 5 min. No dialogue.
  • Shéhérazade (Sheherazade), Florence Miailhe, 1993. 16 min. In French with English Subtitles.

Tabook- NSFW

After winning the Best Animated Short at CineKink 2017, director Dario van Vree and producer Tünde Vollenbroek’s comical animation Tabook has now been released online. Tabook looks at the subject of sex in a fun loving way, highlighting the taboo that exists in society around embracing sexuality. 

While browsing the bookstore 19-year-old Gwen is unexpectedly drawn to a volume of kinky erotica, earning her disapproving glares from the other customers.

Director Dario van Vree has been directing animation since graduating from his studies at the prestigious KASK academy in Belgium. Having a specific eye for the weird, the inventive and the power of character performance, his work is characterized by clarity, humor and a love for paradoxes. Besides directing, Dario teaches animation at the Willem de Kooning Academy and is co-founder of the KLIK Amsterdam Animation Festival. 

Producer Tünde Vollenbroek is an animation graduate from the HKU and Animation Sans Frontieres, and is a producer at Studio Pupil, the production company that created Tabook. She is a chief European correspondent at Cartoon Brew and chief programmer of the KLIK Amsterdam Animation Festival.

Reineke Jonker helps the humour come alive with the priceless vocal performance we hear from lead character Gwen while animators Michael Sewnarian, Bonnie Mier and Tom Mourik created the colourful animated world Gwen inhabits. 

This film has been has been sweeping the boards at film festivals throughout the world, having been selected for 32 film festivals including in the Manchester Animation Festival 2016
, Athens Animfest 2017, KLIK Amsterdam Animation Festival 2016 and Anima Brussels Animation Film Festival 2017. Tabook was also included in the Selected Dutch Shorts 2017 and the Korte Film Poule 2017.

Tabook is now available online. 

Vimeo: vimeo.com/studiopupil/tabook

YouTube: youtube.com/watch?v=JKqg9JWRZUU

Facebook: facebook.com/studiopupilanimation/

 

MONKEY BUSINESS: THE ADVENTURES OF CURIOUS GEORGE’S CREATORS | Official Trailer

Monkey Business: The Adventures of Curious George’s Creators
Documentary
Release:  August 15, 2017
Directed by: Ema Ryan Yamazaki
Animation by: Jacob Kafka
Narrated by: Sam Waterston
Produced by: Ema Ryan Yamazaki, Emily Harrold
Executive Produced by: Marc Levin, Eric Nyari, Paul Davidson, Danielle DiGiacomo, Brad Navin
SYNOPSIS
Curious George is the most popular monkey in the world. Since his introduction in the first publication in 1941, the beloved series has sold over 75 million books in more than 25 languages. MONKEY BUSINESS explores the lesser-known tale of George’s creators, Hans and Margret Rey. Originally from Hamburg, Germany, the Reys first met when Hans was dating Margret’s older sister. Years later, having heard that Hans was wasting his artistic talents as a bookkeeper in Rio, Margret traveled to Brazil to persuade him to marry her and do something creative together. After their four-week honeymoon to Paris turned into a four-year residency, they accidentally became children’s book authors when a publisher suggested they create a book out of a cartoon Hans had drawn. Being German Jews, however, their life in Paris abruptly came to an end in June 1940 when the Reys were forced to escape from the Nazis by riding makeshift bicycles-a manuscript of the first Curious George book was one of the few possessions they could smuggle out with them. Arriving in New York as refugees, they started their life anew and over the next three decades they created a classic that continues to touch the hearts and minds of children around the world.

ROYAL TELEVISION SOCIETY OPENS ENTRIES FOR CRAFT & DESIGN AWARDS 2017

PRESS RELEASE

ROYAL TELEVISION SOCIETY OPENS ENTRIES FOR

CRAFT & DESIGN AWARDS 2017

 

London, 05 June 2017 – The Royal Television Society (RTS), Britain’s leading forum for television and related media, has launched the RTS Craft & Design Awards 2017. The Awards celebrate excellence in broadcast television and aim to recognise the huge variety of skills and processes involved in programme production.

 

Awards are presented in 11 categories including: Design, Make Up Design, Costume Design, Production Design, Effects, Directors, Photography, Lighting and Multicamera, Sound, Editing and Music.In addition, there are three awards given at the discretion of the Judges: Design & Craft Innovation, Judges’ and Lifetime Achievement Awards. Entries are not accepted for these categories but the RTS welcomes suggestions.

 

This year will see Lee Connolly, Creative Director at ITV Studios, take over as Chair of the awards from former Chair, Cheryl Taylor. He says, “The RTS Craft & Design Awards are an excellent way of recognising the extraordinary breadth of talent and depth of expertise we have throughout the creative content industry and I am delighted to be the new Chair.”

 

All entries must be submitted using the RTS Online Awards Entry System https://awardsentry.rts.org.uk/entrant/index.php by Friday, 1 September 2017. All entries must have been first transmitted between 1 September 2016 and 31 August 2017 and may be submitted by companies or individuals. The Awards will be presented on Monday 27 November 2017 at the London Hilton on Park Lane. For more information visit: https://www.rts.org.uk/awards/craft-design-awards.

 

THE AWARD CATEGORIES:

Design – recognises achievement in three categories: trails and packaging, programme content sequences and titles.
Make Up Design – recognises achievement in all areas of makeup, including hair styling and wigs, in two categories: drama and entertainment and non-drama productions.
Costume Design – recognises achievement in two categories: drama and entertainment and non–drama productions.
Production Design – recognises achievement in two categories: drama and entertainment and non–drama productions.
Effects – recognises achievement from any area of programme making in three categories: digital effects, special effects and picture enhancement.
Director – recognises achievement in three categories: comedy drama/situation comedy, drama and documentary/factual and non-drama productions.
Photography – recognises achievement in location based single camera work in two categories: drama and comedy, and documentary/factual and non-drama productions.
Lighting and Multicamera – recognises achievement in three categories: lighting for multicamera, multicamera work and multicamera work – sport. The Multicamera awards are designed to recognise those who work in studio based or OB multicamera programming across all genres.
Sound – recognises achievement in two categories: drama and entertainment and non-drama productions. These Awards recognise the whole sound team and both recording supervisor and mixing supervisor should be named on the entry form.
Editing – recognises achievement in four categories: drama, documentary/factual, entertainment and comedy and sport.
Music – recognises achievement in two categories: original title music and original score. The titles or score must be specially commissioned for a specific programme.

Kids Entertainment Professionals For Young Refugees Fundraiser

Animators and actors, writers and composers, game designers and YA authors, producers, board artists, agents, studio and network executives – the entire international children’s entertainment community is coming together June 18-24 in an unprecedented grassroots fundraiser via Crowdrise. Help spread the word! PLEASE SHARE THIS VIDEO with friends and colleagues and SIGN UP FOR THE FUNDRAISER NOW at: https://www.facebook.com/events/114556855770817/
More information at our home page: https://www.facebook.com/kepyr/
Thank you – and Keep the Love Coming!