Binocular Briefs – January 2024
The latest survey of under-the-radar animated shorts currently traveling the festival circuit or new to online viewing.
The latest survey of under-the-radar animated shorts currently traveling the festival circuit or new to online viewing.
Mattel Films will develop the project that follows Roberto (aka Bob), who travels to Puerto Rico for a construction job and ‘takes on issues affecting the island and digs deeper into what it means to build.’
The musician and producer will set imaginations free with a feature that ‘defies genres and expectations to transport audiences into a Lego world where anything is possible.’
Applications now being accepted for 6-month, online-only program, starting next month, that will provide tutorage, advice, and connection building for young creatives in the motion design industry who identify with underrepresented communities.
Entries now being accepted for new platform, the first solely dedicated to honoring all forms of animation and motion design across Marketing & Communications, Commercials, Television, Film, Experiential, Games & XR; early entry deadline set for March 8, 2024.
The team behind 2017’s Oscar-nominated ‘Loving Vincent’ returns with a vibrant new oil painted and rotoscoped animated feature about a young woman, Jagna, whose determination to forge her own path puts her on a tragic collision course with her 19th century Polish village community, opening in U.S. theaters on January 26, 2024.
A Kickstarter has been launched to fund the adaptation and give fans even greater connection to the stories, realms, and characters of Will Wight’s popular fable, with exclusive perks through donations; the grassroots fundraiser ends February 9.
William Crabtree, a colorist for the first 50 issues of the comic, alleged creator Robert Kirkman tricked him into surrendering his co-ownership stake in the series; the terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
Watch the trailer - the network’s most watched new series of 2023, greenlit for a second season prior to its Season 1 premiere, returns next month with more dysfunctional Hornsby family fighting over the legacy of their second-rate cracker company.
The next feature from the animation house founded by Oscar-nominated former Studio Ghibli producer Yoshiaki Nishimura, ‘The Imaginary,’ will hit the streamer later this year after its theatrical run in Japan.
The veteran animation producer and former Bardel CEO will serve as CEO of the new company, headquartered in Kelowna, British Columbia; Todd Ramsey assumes role of Head of Animation while Ashley Ramsey departs to pursue new opportunities.
The fun cloud of smoke returns… Lionsgate's adult animated series, based on Gilbert Shelton’s acclaimed underground comics, stars Woody Harrelson, Pete Davidson, John Goodman, and Tiffany Haddish as four pothead time travelers from the 1960s.
It’s love like you’ve never, nor ever wanted, to witness – or feel - as Korvo, Yumyulack, Terry, and Jesse get romantic AF… yes, they went there; the ‘An Earth Shatteringly Romantic Solar Valentine’s Day Opposites Special’ special debuts February 5.
The design-based animation studio specializes in hand-drawn and cell animation and boasts notable clients including Google, Indeed, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Hermès.
Ahead of the animated series' Season 5, March 2024 debut, the studio drops a one-off fun live-action episode of the cast portraying the show’s various animated characters.
ASIFA-Hollywood celebrates the best the industry has to offer at animation’s most prestigious and glamorous awards ceremony, coming February 17, 2024, at UCLA’s Royce Hall.
Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Bill Lawrence’s original 2002 animated series refresh follows the teenage clones of the greatest minds in history who must tackle modern-day high school challenges and drama; 10-episode sophomore season streams February 1.
‘The Boy and The Heron,’ ‘Chicken Run: Dawn of The Nugget,’ ‘Elemental,’ and ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ get the nod for Animated Film with ‘The Creator,’ ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,’ ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part,’ ‘Napoleon,’ and ‘Poor Things’ selected for Special Visual Effects.
Lionsgate has named the director/stunt master as the creative overseer of its two action franchises across film, TV and all multimedia platforms.
Along with U.S. rep Psyop, the London-based studio collaborated on the short that welcomes VIP players and hosts arriving at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, ready for a supreme eSports event.
For digital content creator Daniel Pojda, new features in Cartoon Animator 5.2 have improved his standard animation workflow significantly, letting him focus more time on details and secondary animations on projects like his spaceship rocketing through outer space.
The 2D animated kids’ series, based on the Roblox game, follows 4 friends who form a team to save the Piñataverse while involved in game-like shenanigans; available for international sale, the previously released ‘Smashling’ shorts are available on Nelvana’s ‘Keep It Weird’ YouTube channel.
FIAF presents the seventh edition of its annual festival dedicated to showcasing the enduring legacy of and innovation of French and Francophone animation, January 23 – January 28.
Kevin Smith’s Emmy-nominated animated series returns as He-Man battles a newly mechanized Skeletor and the Horde Empire; official trailer, key art and new images drop ahead of the January 25 global streaming debut.
Best Animated Feature nominees ‘Nimona,’ ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,’ ‘Suzume,’ ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,’ and ‘The Boy and the Heron’ top the expansive list of category nominations; animation’s biggest awards ceremony is scheduled to return live on Saturday, February 17 at UCLA’s Royce Hall.