Geographical Region: North America
GKIDS Acquires ‘The First Slam Dunk’ Distribution Rights
The Japan Academy Prize-winning feature, directed by original manga creator Takehiko Inoue, arrives in U.S. and Canadian theaters this summer.
Michael Hirsh to Receive Animaze’s Lifetime Achievement Award
The Nelvana co-founder and Canadian animation industry leader will also deliver the event’s Keynote; the Montreal International Animation Festival takes place September 17 – 19.
CAFÉ Reveals 2023 Program
The 2-day event for VFX and animation professionals, running May 16-17 in Quebec, will feature panels, discussions, and presentations by industry leaders from Sony Pictures Imageworks, DNEG, Marvel Studios and DreamWorks Animation.
NVIDIA Bringing Major AI Advancements to SIGGRAPH 2023
The tech giant will present 20 research papers advancing generative AI and neural graphics — including collaborations with over a dozen universities in the U.S., Europe and Israel – at the computer graphics conference coming to LA this August.
Tribeca Festival 2023 Announces ‘A Cow in the Sky’ Premiere
Whoopi Goldberg hosts the June 10 presentation and screening - based on a true story of the murder of an Ethiopian college student killed by racist skinheads, the film is about the pain and personal triumph of a son left behind; the screening will be followed by a Q&A with the film’s directors.
It’s On – The Writers Guild of America Goes on Strike
For the first time since 2007, the WGA has ordered a work stoppage on all film and TV script writing, with pickets beginning this afternoon to protest wage and residual pay level inequalities exacerbated by the rise of streaming platforms.
Netflix Releases ‘USC Annenberg Study on Film & Series Diversity’
Read the report - the study, a commitment to accountability and the promotion of change in the industry, conducted in concert with the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, gauges the streamer’s progress in ‘Film & Series Diversity.’
Call for Submissions: OIAF TAC Pitch THIS! 2023
The program, open exclusively to Canadian creators, pairs 10 semi-finalists with industry mentors for a chance to pitch animated series concepts – submissions begin May 1; The Ottawa International Animation Festival runs September 20-24.
Watch Miami Design District's ‘Beyond Belief’ Campaign
Innovative animation captures cultural engineer Craig Robin's vision of the MDD as a ‘laboratory for creativity’ with hand-drawn illustrations modeled after iconic neighborhood landmarks; a female avatar takes the viewers on a journey from the district’s past to its future.
Pixomondo Launches Virtual Production Academy
In partnership with Seneca, the 12-week online program will offer graduates a micro-credential completion badge from the school and access to employment opportunities at PXO.
Austin’s Powerhouse Animation Votes to Unionize
Effort marks the first organizing campaign for The Animation Guild in a right-to-work state and TAG’s third outside L.A. County after successful unionization at Titmouse and Late Night Cartoons in New York.
How ‘Suzume’ Reflects the Japanese Culture of Self-Sacrifice and Conformity
Actor Nichole Sakura, who voices the film’s titular character, shares how summers spent as a kid in Japan provided unique insight into her role, and helping write the English dub, on Makoto Shinkai’s latest film, born of his survivor’s guilt having lived through the devastating Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011.
Fred Rogers Productions Launches Second Writers’ Neighborhood Initiative
The five-year program will support new writers from underrepresented racial groups building their careers in children’s media; application submissions being accepted May 1-15.
GKIDS Acquires Distribution Rights to ‘Lonely Castle in the Mirror’
Japan Academy Prize-nominated feature from acclaimed director Keiichi Hara and A-1 Pictures releases in North American theaters this summer.
Maxon Kicks Off ‘The Design and Animation Tour’ North America
Digital artists, motion designers, animators, graphic artists, visualizers, and students of all skill levels invited to ‘Create,’ ‘Connect’ and ‘Celebrate;’ first stop, University of Texas – Dallas, April 28.
Watch: Adult Swim Canada’s ‘Psi Cops’ Trailer
New adult animated series follows the overly competent incompetent detectives, Kydd and Felixx, as they investigate spiritual phenomena, extraterrestrial life, and paranormal activity; catch a sneak peek at Calgary Expo April 27 ahead of the June TV debut.
iFFY 2023 is Just Around the Corner
Award-winning animator Gary Schwartz will present ‘Kinda iFFY’ – his ‘Overhead Projection Shadow Puppet Animation Workshop,’ a hands-on lab for creative inquiry into time-based media; the Independent Film Festival Ypsilanti runs April 19-22.
2023 AfroAnimation Summit Coming to Burbank
The conference, running April 26-27, promotes diversity and inclusion in animation, welcoming an international coalition of industry speakers, studio execs, students, creatives and young professionals, in-person and via livestream.
Union Launches Montreal VFX Facility
The London-based studio celebrates 15 years with its first international expansion after delivering VFX on projects such as ‘For All Mankind,’ ‘The Irregulars,’ and HBO Max’s award-winning ‘The Banshees of Inisherin.’
Sixteen South and Nelvana Option ‘A Horse Named Steve’
Belfast-based studio teams up with kids’ content giant on an animated adaptation of Toronto author-illustrator Kelly Collier’s popular picture book about the humorous exploits of an endearingly self-absorbed horse.
WildBrain to Acquire House of Cool
In a deal set to close later this year, co-founders Wes Lui and Ricardo Curtis are named Co-General Managers of the Toronto-based pre-production studio, which will maintain its distinct identity under new parent company banner.
‘Pleroma’: Can A Robot Prototype Save Workers from an Unleashed AI?
Visual effects supervisor Chris Browne has big plans for his sci-fi project originally conceived as a feature film and TV series – he created 200 digitally augmented shots with photoreal robots, virtual environments, and swarming drone bots for the short film proof-of-concept.
The Cinémathèque Québécoise Unveils 2023 Animation Residency Cohort
6 artists have been selected to be mentored by an animation professional as they develop their project; program runs April 17- May 24.
OIAF 2023 Decides to Get Funny
The festival celebrates the late NFB employee and one-time OIAF Honorary President, Hélène Tanguay, with a new award recognizing humor in animation; the annual five-day event returns September 20-24.