Animation Insider News http://www.animationinsider.net/ en-us Copyright 2006 Animation Insider webministrator@animationinsider.net http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=2122 Nickelodeon has amped up its annual animation festival -- offering game design and 15-second short comeptitions. The opportunity for animators and visual artists to get in the studio with a team of development and/or production team at Nick once again presents itself. The deadline for the call for entires hits early September. Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:15:01 EST http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=2121 Based on Black Belt Hall of Fame Dawn Barnes' children's comic-novel series, 'The Black Belt Club' is a cartoon series in development. Tracking a tight-nit group of multi-cultural martial arts enthusiasts, kids in search of higher self-esteem and contemporary goal setting, 'The Black Belt Club' is tentatively scheduled for delivery next year. Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:15:47 EST http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=2120 Scholastic Media and PBS are apt to premiere a couple new episodes of 'The Adventures of WordGirl' come July 2009, the episodes of which will contribute to a week of themed programming. Also, Scholastic Media has given the greenlight for another season of the educational animation, bringing the ordered episode total to seventy-eight. Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:13:01 EST http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=2118 Review of the series set release of the anime 'Project Blue Earth SOS.' In the style of classic 1950s, sci-fi B-movies, 'Project Blue Earth SOS' is a vision of an old-fashioned new millennium when mankind has triumphed over technology. When mysterious occurrences lead to the revelation of alien invasion, it's up to two boy-geniuses and a secret government agency to save the world. Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:13:12 EST http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=2119 HIT Entertainment has announced three new animated TV series have entered development. Additionally, the kid's content producer has reached a licensing agreement with American Greetings to see many of their animation titles across various social expressions in retail. Lastly, Bandai-Namco is building a 'Thomas & Friends' theme park in Japan. Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:13:25 EST http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=2117 The 10th anniversary celebration of the debut of 'SpongeBob SquarePants' culminates this July when Nickelodeon pulls out all the stops, resulting in a fifty-hour marathon. Nearly a dozen new episodes are scheduled to premiere. VH1 has scheduled the new documentary, 'Square Roots,' to kick things off. Details inside. Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:13:38 EST http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=2116 Following a young monk named Brendan who must complete the legendary Irish book of illumination in spite of his dramatic fears and curiosities, 'The Secret of Kells' is an intriguing animation production. Directed by Tomm Moore and an Ireland-France-Belgium co-production, the film will premiere in mid July, hosted by the NY Int'l Children's Film Fest board. Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:13:56 EST http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=2115 Kazuma comes from a lineage of devout fire elementalists, unfortunately for him, it skipped a generation. In the Japanese animation 'Kaze no Stigma,' Kazuma is subsequently exiled from family and country -- only to return four years later with another, better skill, that could very well upstage his native household for good. A fantasy/supernatural anime, 'Kaze no Stigma' arrives in a half-season DVD set. Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:13:49 EST http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=2114 VIZ Media is nearing the domestic release of the third DVD Set of the action anime 'Bleach.' Containing disc volumes eleven through fifteen, this video set encompasses Ichigo's romp through the Soul Society, culminating with his dramatic attempt to rescue Rukia from execution. Meanwhile, VIZ continues individual disc releases of the anime, with one new volume each month. Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:13:57 EST http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=2113 Cartoon Network Enterprises has unleashed an onslaught of licensing initiatives for the CN and PorchLight Entertainment action animation 'The Secret Saturdays.' Many of these consumer products will hit store shelves this summer, from DVDs to life-sized role-play toys from Mattel. Also coming soon is are videogames, an apparel line, and a couple of graphic novels. Details inside. Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:13:53 EST http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=2112 A mahou-shoujo comedy, 'Gakuen Alice' tracks a pair of ten-year-old girls and their adventure in a special Tokyo school reserved for students with unique, almost supernatural though often humorous abilities. Directed by Takahiro Omori ('Koi Kaze'), 'Gakuen Alice' is coming soon to DVD from Nozomi Ent. The animated comedy will be released as a series DVD set. Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:13:56 EST http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=2110 Review of the latest Pixar Animation Studios theatrical release, 'Up', directed by Pete Docter and Bob Peterson. The film is a smart and emotional computer animated tale of a widowed old man named Carl, who sets out on an epic adventure with a set of unlikely companions in order to fulfill a life-long promise for his late wife Ellie. Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:18:32 EST http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=2111 Birkner Rawlings, animation development executive, has been promoted to the post of Vice President, for Nickelodeon. Now helping cultivate new projects and new talent, Rawlings is responsible for overseeing all new cartoons-in-progress for Nickelodeon. First on his docket are the three pilots Nick Animation announced in previous days. Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:18:22 EST http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=2109 Partnering with Nelvana Enterprises, the long-running Ty'sToyBox.com will be soon expand to include not just U.S. licensed merchandise, but Canadian properties as well. Scheduled for this fall, TysToyBox.ca will focus on children's programming and animation merchandise derived from YTV and Treehouse TV series characters. Last year, Nelvana was one of the top 100 global licensors, in worldwide retail sales. Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:13:40 EST http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=2108 Disney has ordered a third season of the summertime animated comedy 'Phineas and Ferb.' The television series, which integrates amusing original songs and an original story about boys-being-boys, ranks high among key audiences. In related news, Disney continues to publish 'Phineas and Ferb' books, DVDs, CDs, and videogames by the truckload. Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:13:53 EST http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=2107 The Korea Creative Content Agency recently hosted a ceremony to celebrate some of the best animated, student filmmaking of the 2009 academic year. Taking the top prize was an incredible, hyper-realistic war story by Kim Wan-jin ("Heartbreak Ridge"), which was followed by four other shorts, who earned excellence awards. Some of the winners were screened at Annecy. Roughly half of the students' entries are available online for viewing. Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:20:28 EST http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=2106 Just as The CW4Kids Saturday mornings debuts new episodes of the Rainbow Media animated series 'Huntik: Secrets & Seekers'; the Italian content group has reached a number of home video, broadcast, and consumer merchandising agreements that stretch all of the way from North America to New Zealand. The fantasy cartoon follows a teen archeologist and adventurer in search of artifacts of unknowable power. Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:20:08 EST http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=2105 BKN International AG ('Kong,' 'Roswell Conspiracies') has announced they have kick-started production on a new boy's adventure cartoon ('Joshua Blake: The Agency'), which tracks a globetrotting teen spy. In related news, BKN has completed production on 'Stone Age,' an anachronistic prehistoric animated comedy, produced entirely in HD. Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:13:51 EST http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=2104 Nickelodeon is partnering with Take-Two Interactive's kid's brand, 2K Play, to publish a console/handheld videogame based on the popular preschool television animation 'Ni Hao, Kai-lan.' The new game will reportedly focus on the Chinese New Year, and the cultural and culinary traditions associated with it as well. Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:13:09 EST http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=2102 Cartoon Network Enterprises and The LEGO Group are partnering to assemble an expansive series of construction toys based on the big CN's 'Ben 10' animation property. Given the success of teen-targeted 'Ben 10: Alien Force' and the anticipation over the program's next chapter, 'Ben 10: Evolution,' Cartoon Network has a lot of merchandising still to look forward to. Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:13:59 EST