Michigan-based video distributor Inkwell Images has just released, this week, a set of previously lost Toby The Pup cartoons on DVD and blu-ray. This series of forgotten cartoon shorts – created by famed Disney/Fleischer animator Dick Huemer and produced by Charles Mintz – lasted one season in 1930-31 with twelve cartoons in theatrical release through […]
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2016 Annie Award Nominations: Dory, Kubo, Moana, Panda and Zootopia Take Top Honors
November 28th, 2016 
Jerry Beck The International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood, announced nominations today for its 44th Annual Annie Awards recognizing the year’s best in the field of animation. For a complete list of nominations, please visit The Annie Awards website. This year’s Best Animated Feature nominations include: Finding Dory (Pixar Animation Studios), Kubo and the Two Strings (Laika), Kung […]
R.I.P. “Yellow Submarine” Producer Al Brodax (1926-2016)
November 26th, 2016 Jerry Beck Longtime King Features animation producer Al Brodax passed away Thanksgiving evening. The news was announced on Facebook by Beatle cartoon historian (and Brodax friend) Mitchell Axelrod this evening. While his best known screen credit may be as producer (and co-writer) of the ground breaking 1968 animated feature, Yellow Submarine, Brodax had a vast career in […]
Academy Awards Best Animated Short – Short List
November 23rd, 2016 Jerry Beck The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 10 animated short films will advance in the voting process for the 89th Academy Awards. Sixty-nine pictures had originally qualified in the category. The 10 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production companies: Blind Vaysha Theodore Ushev, director (National […]
Google Spotlight Stories and Nexus Studios Release New VR Short “Rain Or Shine”
November 17th, 2016 Jerry Beck Google Spotlight Stories and Nexus Studios announced the debut today of their new 360, interactive story, Rain or Shine. directed by animator Felix Massie. Massie is an award winning animation director and published children’s book author based at the Nexus Studios in London. The film is now available on YouTube 360, as well as on […]
Tonko House and 20th Century Fox Animation Developing “Dam Keeper” Feature
November 17th, 2016 Jerry Beck Tonko House and 20th Century Fox Animation announced today that they are partnering to develop a feature film based on The Dam Keeper, the 2015 Academy Award-nominated animated short written and directed by Tonko House founders Robert Kondo and Daisuke “Dice” Tsutsumi. Kondo and Tsutsumi, former art directors at Pixar (Toy Story 3, Monster’s University, […]
The 27 Animated Features Submitted For the 2016 Oscar Race
November 11th, 2016 Jerry Beck A record 27 features have been submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 89th Academy Awards. The submitted features, listed in alphabetical order, are: “The Angry Birds Movie” “April and the Extraordinary World” “Bilal” “Finding Dory” “Ice Age: Collision Course” “Kingsglaive Final Fantasy XV” “Kubo and the Two Strings” “Kung Fu […]
Asifa-Hollywood Donates $20k to Academy Help Preserve Williams’ “Thief/Cobbler” Art
November 9th, 2016 Jerry Beck ASIFA-Hollywood has donated $20k to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences to assist with the curation and documentation of a major collection of original production artwork, donated by Miramax, of work created for Richard Williams’ production of The Thief and the Cobbler. The collection consists of thousands of hand-painted cels, pencil animation and […]
La-La Land Records Releases First-time “Jonny Quest” Soundtrack CD
November 1st, 2016 Jerry Beck My friend, entertainment writer, pop-culture historian and film music professor at USC, Jon Burlingame, has alerted me to the limited edition release of the CD soundtrack to the original series of Hanna Barbera’s Jonny Quest (1964). Jon penned the liner notes for the set. “This is the first official, authorized, JQ album,” Jon tells me. […]
Alpha Animation Hires Alex Schwartz Head Of Production
October 19th, 2016 Jerry Beck Alex Schwartz has joined Alpha Animation as Head of Production, it was announced today by CEO Bob Bacon. In her new role, Schwartz will oversee creative development through production on Alpha’s animated feature slate. The division will produce animated features for worldwide distribution and will look to develop original material as well as leverage existing […]
The Animated Side of “Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life”
October 7th, 2016 Greg Ehrbar There’s something cathartic about a film in which the protagonist is able to make fools of his/her detractors by outlandish means. The Marx Brothers and Bugs Bunny perfected it. In Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life–which opens nationwide today–the adolescent lead character might as well say, “Of course you know this means war.” […]
Women In Animation Awards Its 2016 Phyllis Craig Scholarship
October 5th, 2016 Jerry Beck Women in Animation (WIA) is pleased to announce that Tracey LaGuerre is the winner of the 2016 Phyllis Craig Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded annually to one deserving animation student who demonstrates artistic talent, a passion for animation, and promise for the future. Tracey is currently a sophomore in the CalArts Character Animation Program with […]
Mondo Media and Six Point Harness Finalize Merger
September 15th, 2016 Jerry Beck The companies behind such massively popular digital animated series as Happy Tree Friends, Deep Space 69 and Dick Figures have officially joined forces, announcing today that the merger of Mondo Media and Six Point Harness has been finalized. The newly formed company, Mondo Media, will be known simply as “Mondo” for all of its consumer-facing […]
Neil Patrick Harris to MC Gala for The Walt Disney Family Museum
September 15th, 2016 Jerry Beck The Walt Disney Family Museum has announced its second annual fundraising gala benefiting the Museum’s ongoing initiatives to support the next generation of creative talent. The event will honor Marty Sklar, Disney Legend and Walt Disney Imagineering Ambassador, who, in addition to working directly with Walt Disney, has been a leading Disney creative force contributing […]
Bob Bacon Appointed CEO of China’s LA-Based Alpha Animation
August 30th, 2016 Jerry Beck Alpha Group Co. Ltd. is pleased to announce that Bob Bacon will serve as Chief Executive Officer of Alpha Animation, a new division dedicated to the development and production of high-quality animated feature content for a worldwide audience, it was announced today by Alpha Interactive Entertainment Division Chief Executive Officer, Chen De Rong. On Bacon’s […]
