Victoria Davis's Recent Posts

SoCal Stories ANIMATIONWorld

‘Primos’: Capturing Los Angeles in All Its Chaotic and Charismatic Glory

Based on her own experiences growing up in a large, blended Mexican American family, Natasha Kline employs realistic Southern California colors, locations, even lawyer billboards in the story of an eccentric young girl whose ambitious summer dreams are upended by 12 cousins who’ve come to visit.

25 Years of SpongeBob SquarePants! ANIMATIONWorld

Vincent Waller and Marc Ceccarelli Talk 25 Years of ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’

The showrunners share some behind-the-scenes stories while reflecting on 25 years of undersea adventures, timeless humor, and the enduring legacy of Stephen Hillenburg’s animated ‘Sponge Boy’ creation from Bikini Bottom.

Promoting Universal Values of Love and Peace ANIMATIONWorld

‘God’s Gang’: Nimrod-Avraham May Talks Creating a Religiously Diverse Series

With a unique interfaith advisory council and a mission to foster mutual respect, the 2D animated series promotes unity and peace through the hilarious adventures of four martial arts heroes from Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and Judaism; new episode streams July 17.

Meow! ANIMATIONWorld

Divine Purr-suasion: ‘Exploding Kittens’ Turns Feline Deities into Comedy Stars

Matt Inman and Shane Kosakowski’s new animated series hilariously depicts God and the Devil as dueling house cats, navigating earthly chaos and dysfunctional family dynamics while atoning for their otherworldly failures; the show, adapted from a card game, premieres July 12 on Netflix.

Watt We Should be Watching! ANIMATIONWorld

Augenblick Studios Celebrates 25 Years with a Musically Charged ‘City Island’ Season 2

The Brooklyn-based studio’s founder and his talented team of artists, musicians, and songwriters channel all that was memorable from the cartoons they watched as kids along with the creative skills they’ve developed on adult animated projects over the last 2+ decades for a new season of the hit PBS KIDS series, which launches today, July 5.

Is it Just My Imagination? ANIMATIONWorld

How Yoshiaki Nishimura’s ‘The Imaginary’ Reflects Studio Ponoc’s Noble Mission

The new 2D animated film, directed by Yoshiyuki Momose, explores the intersection of imagination and reality, advancing the studio's efforts to create deeply emotional and innovative works for children that can influence adults as well.

Too Hot to Handle VFXWorld

Cinesite Delivers ‘The Fall Guy’s Flaming VFX

Visual Effects Supervisor Jennifer Giovanna Meire and her team oversaw 359 shots on David Leitch’s behind-the-scenes stunt-filled extravaganza, becoming combustion physics experts and digital pyromaniacs as they repeatedly set star Ryan Gosling on fire.

Mia Rosie and Buddy Oh My! ANIMATIONWorld

Angry Birds Mystery Island’: New Look, New Characters, New Fun

On the latest Rovio series, Titmouse, with help from Snipple Animation and Yearim Productions, finds the right visual bridge between the property’s 3DCG films and flat 2D games, with layered depth and lighting that makes the action pop while maintaining some cartoony plasticity and feel; now streaming on Amazon Kids+ and Prime Video.

It’s Anime-zing ANIMATIONWorld

Bryson Baugus and Kamen Casey Talk ‘Blue Lock The Movie -Episode Nagi’

The voice actors, who portray Seishiro Nagi and Reo Mikage in the English dub of the first movie to come from Taku Kishimoto’s award-winning ‘Blue Lock’ soccer anime, based on Muneyuki Kaneshiro’s manga, discuss how difficult it is embrace a role when you can’t access the entire film, with enough prep time, to dig into and capture a character’s full depth, drive, and complexity; the film releases June 28, 2024 in the U.S.

We Want More Spirited Teen Shows! ANIMATIONWorld

How ‘WondLa’s Tiny Details Speak Big About the Story’s Heart

Utilizing a unique approach to music, costume design and character-specific themes that enriches its storytelling, Skydance Animation’s new animated series, based on Tony DiTerlizzi’s best-selling books about a curious, enthusiastic, and spirited teenager raised in an underground bunker by her robot caretaker, debuts today, June 28, on Apple TV+.

Action-Packed Mermaid Adventures! ANIMATIONWorld

‘Disney Junior’s Ariel’ Celebrates the Caribbean with Doubles, Red Locks and Cinder Blocks

EP Lynne Southerland and art director Chrystin Garland discuss their push for authenticity in the all-new 3DCG preschool series about the young mermaid princess that incorporates the islands’ multi-cultural elements of music, food, fashion, language, and folklore; show debuts June 27 on Disney Junior.

What Me Worry? ANIMATIONWorld

‘Inside Out 2’: It’s What Gets Cut That Counts

For story artist Rebecca McVeigh and lead editor Maurissa Horwitz, staying focused on the film’s emotional rhythm and character arcs means countless iterations, tough choices, and frequent cuts that are essential to getting the best version of the director’s vision up on screen.

Not The Cat’s Meow ANIMATIONWorld

‘The Garfield Movie’: The Mouth is a Window to the Belly

CG animation producer Shelley Smith and VFX supervisor Freddy Chaleur discuss how DNEG Animation perfected the not very Shakespearean process of staying on model while animating the extreme poses of a furry cat, based on iconic 2D comic designs, that can eat an entire pizza in one bite.

She Stands Alone ANIMATIONWorld

Empathy and Dark Humor Collide in ‘Carol & The End of the World’

Dan Guterman’s adult animated comedy series about a meek, introverted woman who prefers mundane daily rituals rather than hedonistic excess in the face of humanity’s impending extinction, employs a carefully crafted visual language, literally guided by the eyes are windows into the soul, to provide its emotion and laughs; now streaming on Netflix.

What Me Worry? ANIMATIONWorld

‘Inside Out 2’: The Anxiety About Making an Appealing Anxiety

For production designer Jason Deamer and animation supervisors Dovi Anderson and Evan Bonifacio, finding the right look, and energy level, for a frenetic character in constant motion was a considerable challenge; the highly anticipated sequel to Pete Docter’s Oscar-winning 2015 ‘Inside Out’ hits theaters June 14.

Let’s All Meet in 3D ANIMATIONWorld

Bent Image Lab Relocates to the Metaverse, Offers Tours to Annecy Attendees

Trever Stewart is taking over the commercial division of the venerable Portland animation studio, and has moved its half-acre facility completely to the metaverse, and is letting festival attendees – with priority on portfolio reviews – don headsets and tour the 3D digital world and creative universe his prolific team now calls home.  

The Animation World Converges in Annecy ANIMATIONWorld

Annecy 2024 Feature Films in Official Competition Roundup

AWN breaks down the stellar lineup of 12 animated features competing at this year's festival, including ‘Memoir of a Snail’ by Adam Elliot, ‘Rock Bottom' by María Trénor,’ and ‘Savages’ by Claude Barras; the 48th edition of the festival runs June 9-15.

From Pakistan to Annecy ANIMATIONWorld

Mano Animation Makes History with ‘The Glassworker,’ Pakistan’s First 2D Feature

Karachi-based director Usman Riaz talks about his hand-drawn film that tells the story of a young man and his father, a glass blower, whose relationship is tested after war breaks out and an army colonel and his violinist daughter arrive in their town; film screens in Annecy’s Contrechamp on June 10.

Farm Fresh to Your Door ANIMATIONWorld

The Houghton Brothers Blast Off in ‘Big City Greens the Movie: Spacecation’

Chris and Shane Houghton talk about JPL, a jar of peanuts, real Easter eggs, and heading into animated space in the first movie adapted from their Emmy Award-winning hit TV show, ‘Big City Greens,’ debuting June 6 on Disney Channel and June 7 on Disney Plus.

Celebrating our Differences ANIMATIONWorld

‘Frog and Toad’: Revisiting Arnold Lobel’s Wondrous Stories of Friendship

For Adam and Adrianne Lobel, getting to adapt and expand their father’s award-winning book series, alongside showrunner Rob Hoegee and Titmouse, in a new season of their Apple TV+ series that helps kids enjoy what they have in common while learning to embrace what they don’t, is a gift that keeps on giving… Season 2 streams May 31.

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