Zooptopia and Angry Birds Movie Standees

Happy Holidays from Sony Pictures Animation

Get Angry This Holiday Season

Disney's SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS Home Video Details

Available for the First Time Ever on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere (DMA) January 19th and on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack February 2nd

Marking the launch of The Walt Disney Signature Collection

Featuring In-Depth Brand New Bonus Material Including "In Walt's Words: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," "Iconography," "@DisneyAnimation: Designing Disney's First Princess," "The Fairest Facts of Them All: 7 Facts You May Not Know About Snow White," "Snow White in Seventy Seconds," "Alternate Sequence: The Prince Meets Snow White" and Much More!

See the new trailer here:

Hotel Transylvania 2 Home Video Details

Arriving on Digital HD Dec. 22 in time for the Holidays!

On Blu-ray 3D™ Combo Pack, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack & DVD Jan. 12

Special Features Include Fifth Harmony Music Video, Sing-Along Scary-oke, Deleted Scenes, and more

                                               

Culver City, Calif. (Nov. 16, 2015) – Sony Pictures Animation’s monster family box-office hit HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2, which grossed more than $430 million in theaters worldwide to date, will debut on Digital HD Dec. 22, just in time for holiday viewing and on Blu-ray 3D™ Combo Pack, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD on Jan. 12 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The Hotel Transylvania sequel reunites ‘Drac’s Pack’ of loveable characters, led by “Vampa” Drac (Adam Sandler, Grown-Ups) as they try to put Mavis (Selena Gomez, Spring Breakers) and Johnny’s (Andy Samberg, TV’s “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”) son Dennis through a “monster-in-training” boot camp to bring out his vampire side. But little do they know that Drac’s grumpy and very old, old, old school dad Vlad (comedy legend Mel Brooks) is about to pay the family a visit to the hotel.  And when Vlad finds out that his great-grandson is not a pure blood and humans are now welcome at Hotel Transylvania, it doesn’t take long for things to get batty!

The record-breaking film, which scored the best September opening of all-time previously held by the original Hotel Transylvania and was the #1 family film internationally for eight consecutive weeks, also features Kevin James (Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2), David Spade (TV’s “Rules of Engagement”), Steve Buscemi (TV’s “Boardwalk Empire”), Keegan-Michael Key (TV’s “Key and Peele”), Molly Shannon (TV’s “Saturday Night Live”) and Fran Drescher (TV’s “The Nanny”). HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 marks the return of 3-time Primetime Emmy winning director Genndy Tartakovsky (Star Wars: Clone Wars), along with producer Michelle Murdocca (Hotel Transylvania). The screenplay is by Adam Sandler and Robert Smigel (TV’s “SNL”).

The Blu-ray combo pack and DVD are full of extras, including Fifth Harmony’s “I’m in Love With a Monster” music video, a character sketch gallery, an inside look at how the filmmakers and animators created Hotel Transylvania 2 and director commentary with Genndy Tartakovsky. Exclusive to the Blu-ray are interactive featurettes on how to throw the ultimate monster party and draw your favorite characters from the film, a special Monster Scary-oke, which gives viewers the chance to sing along with Dennisovitch to spooky versions of three classic songs, must-see deleted scenes and much more.

Synopsis:  In this all-new monster comedy adventure, everything seems to be changing for the better at Hotel Transylvania! However, Drac is worried that his adorable half-human, half-vampire grandson, Dennis, isn’t showing signs of being a vampire. So while Mavis is on vacation, things get batty as Drac enlists his monster friends Frank, Murray, Wayne and Griffin to put Dennis through a “monster-in-training” boot camp!

DVD Special Features (also on Blu-ray & Digital*)

• Fifth Harmony Music Video: “I’m In Love With A Monster”
• Character Sketch Gallery
• Feature Commentary with Adam Sandler, Robert Smigel and Allen Covert
• Feature Commentary with Director Genndy Tartakovsky

Blu-ray & Digital Exclusives*

All DVD Bonus Features Plus…

• Sing Along with Monster Scary-Oke!
• Deleted Scenes
• Make the Scary, Silly Sounds of Hotel Transylvania 2
• How to Throw The Ultimate Monster Party
• How to Draw Your Favorite Characters
• The New Guys: Meet Vlad, Dennis, Kakie and More!

* Digital Extras only available with iTunes Extras and Vudu Extras+

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 has a running time of 89 minutes and is rated PG for some scary images, action and rude humor.

Get Your Story Animated

“LEMONY SNICKET” BOOK AUTHOR DAN HANDLER TO JUDGE

 GLOBAL LITERARY COMPETITION PRESENTED BY COGSWELL

 COLLEGE’S JUST LAUNCHED MULTIMEDIA PUBLICATION “COG”:

 WINNING ENTRY WILL BECOME ANIMATED FILM,

GRAPHIC NOVEL OR ART SERIES --

“COG” Will Include New Works By & Interviews With National Figures,

Writers And Other Notables

Cogswell is a Top Digital Arts School in San Jose

San Jose, CA, November 10, 2015 – Cogswell College, an historic, 600-student educational institution offering a unique curriculum fusing Digital Art, Engineering and Entrepreneurship, has announced the launch of “COG”-- a multimedia publication launched yesterday by noted writer and Cogswell Professor Soma Mei Sheng Frazier and the students who comprise her English 299STHA publishing course. Please see: www.cogzine.com

Frazier and her class have created an “All-Star Literary Lineup” that will be featured within Issue 1 of COG. Artist Ajuan Mance, whose “1001 Black Men” series has earned attention, is creating the Issue 1 cover, which will depict a figure drawing with cogs integrated within.

Highlights will include:

** The announcement of the “COG: Page to Screen Awards,” a global literary competition open to everyone and adjudicated in 2015-16 by Daniel Handler, author of the Lemony Snicket book series. The winning piece from each year's competition will be adapted as a short animated film, 2D animation, graphic novel or interpretive illustration series by Cogswell College’s Digital Art & Animation students. Says Handler, “A literary contest is like a full moon.  It casts a striking and comforting glow across the bleak sky, and turns a small number of people into werewolves.”

** The announcement of the “COG: Poetry Awards,” a global poetry competition judged in 2015-16 by celebrated poet A. Van Jordan. The winning poetry set will also be adapted as visual art by Cogswell’s Digital Art & Animation students.

** Brief text interviews with literary luminary Gish Jen, and with NPR/PRI’s “Snap Judgment” radio show host Glynn Washington, along with Cogswell’s Academic Dean and Director of Game Design & Development, Jerome Solomon.

** New work by award-winning poet Arisa White, who has been featured on rap star Jay-Z’s website; HBO “Def Poetry Jam” veteran Paul S. Flores; celebrated fiction writer Molly Giles; author and performance artist Opal Palmer Adisa; rising musical group Antique Naked Soul; author/editor Ron Austin; “Rad Dad” creator Tomas Moniz, and others.

** The first issue of COG will also premiere “Cogitate,” an original audio broadcast formatted similarly to NPR’s “Snap Judgment” and “This American Life” radio programs.

At present, plans are underway for three online issues, and one print issue, per year for COG. Frazier and her students are also planning various promotional events on behalf of COG, including an on-campus speaking event with Dan Handler/Lemony Snicket that will be open to 50-80 local residents, and readings and performances by the publication's high-caliber contributors and supporters, in 2016.

“We are delighted to be launching COG,” said Dr. Deborah Snyder, President, Cogswell College. “Our goal with COG is to increase our school’s visibility on a national level. Those of our students who work on the creation of COG will also be enhancing their resumes and job prospects by enabling them to staff a soon-to-be nationally known publication. Professor Soma Frazier, who is leading this effort, is a gifted writer. An award-winning author and active member of the literary community, she is the perfect person to be helming the launch of COG!”

Adds Frazier, “I developed COG with a dual purpose: First, to offer audiences a fresh, unique and carefully curated publication, and secondly, to give my students a hands-on, multimedia publishing experience. We will strive to make COG as credible as ‘ZYZZYVA,’ 'Glimmer Train' or ‘Ploughshares,’ with the added digital art component that is our students' sweet spot. I look forward to the day COG is recognized by art and literature lovers everywhere, as well as ‘Poets & Writers,’ ‘AWP,’ and other similar outlets.”  

She adds, “The first thing I asked our student staff as we were conceiving COG was, ‘What do Lemony Snicket, NPR/PRI’s Glynn Washington, Gish Jen, Molly Giles, Paul S.Flores, Opal Palmer Adisa, Antique Naked Soul, Arisa White, Tomas Moniz, Ron Austin, and other stellar artists, musicians, and writers all have in common?’ It was the first day of our Fall 2015 class. They stared blankly until I answered with: ‘The first Issue of Cog.’ My next question to the class was: ‘How will we top that all-star lineup in Issue Two?’ Stay tuned to COG for the answer...”

ABOUT SOMA MEI SHENG FRAZIER:

Soma Mei Sheng Frazier serves as Assistant Professor and Chair, English and the Humanities, at San Jose’s Cogswell College. Her book Collateral Damage: A Triptych earned praise from Nikki Giovanni, Daniel Handler, author of the Lemony Snicket book series, Antonya Nelson, Sarah Shun-lien Bynum, and others. Frazier's second book is forthcoming in 2016 from Nomadic press, along with scheduled to appear in “ZYZZYVA” and “Glimmer Train,” as she completes a novel and screenplay.

A native of rural New Hampshire, Frazier supplemented a basic public school education with whatever additional opportunities her mother’s income – or her own resourcefulness – could afford. These included her attending Odyssey of the Mind, the St. Paul’s School Advanced Studies Program, the Governor’s Mentorship Program, and a Creative Writing course that she “finagled her way into” auditing at Dartmouth College while still in high school.

After graduating high school, Frazier attended Middlebury’s intensive summer immersion program in Japanese. She later earned a B.A. in Asian Studies from Pomona College, and an M.F.A. in Writing at Sarah Lawrence College. She has taught in prisons and schools alike.

ABOUT COGSWELL COLLEGE:

Designed as a “fiercely collaborative, living laboratory,” Cogswell College is located in the heart of the legendary Silicon Valley in San Jose, California. The school is a WASC accredited, four-year institution of higher education with a specialized curriculum that fuses digital arts, audio technology, game design, engineering and entrepreneurship. In 2015, Cogswell was cited by Animation Career Review as “One of the Top 50 Private Game Design Schools and Colleges in the U.S.”

Numerous alumni of Cogswell College have secured prominent positions within the entertainment, videogame, technology, computer, animation, and motion graphics industries throughout California and beyond. Several of these alumni have established careers with such high profile companies as Activision, DreamWorks Animation, Disney, Electronic Arts, Pixar, and Microsoft Game Studio. Many other alumni have launched their own creative ventures.

Recent Cogswell alumni were members of the Academy Award-winning production teams that worked on the blockbuster films “Frozen” and “Life of Pi.” Some of the other well-known consumer projects to which Cogswell alumni have contributed include the feature films “Big Hero 6” and “The Avengers,” and the popular videogames “Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare,” “Halo 4” and “Battlefield Hardline.”    

Cogswell College is located at 191 Baypointe Parkway, San Jose, California, 95134. For more information, please call 1-800-264-7955 or visit  http://www.cogswell.edu

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Disney - Pixar's INSIDE OUT Home Release

Disney - Pixar’s INSIDE OUT On Blu-ray® 3D, Blu-ray® Combo Pack and On Demand this Tuesday, November 3rd Images Now Available And includes an extensive line-up of bonus features as well as the all-new animated short “Riley’s First Date?" Now Available: YouTube: https://youtu.be/4oA_Hq26tkE

Do you ever look at someone and wonder what’s going on inside their head? Disney-Pixar’s “Inside Out” takes an exciting and hilarious journey into the mind to find the answer. Based in Headquarters, the control center of 11-year-old Riley’s mind, five emotions are hard at work, led by lighthearted optimist Joy. She strives to make sure Riley stays happy as she operates alongside fellow emotions Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness. It’s “an instant classic,” raves Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times. Experience it like never before on Disney Blu-ray! INSIDE OUT releases on Blu-ray 3D™, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and On Demand November 3 (Already been available on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere since October 13) And includes an extensive line-up of bonus features as well as two all-new animated short “Riley’s First Date?

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Here's a couple other fun Inside Out videos:

First Place VIEW Award for 2015

WINNER OF 2015 VIEW AWARD GOES TO “SHIFT”

Turin, Italy, October 26, 2015 – The First Place VIEW Award for 2015 was awarded to “Shift,” a CG film directed by Maria Cecilia Pugliesi and Yijun Liu, of the School of Visual Arts, New York. The awards event was held late last week in Turin, Italy.

The members of the jury unanimously agreed that this was the strongest film in the competition. They particularly praised the director’s attention to lighting and composition. It is a memorable film with an exciting, unique look for a CG film.

The Second Place VIEW Award for 2015 went to “Phantom Power” submitted by Sam Bourner.

The jury selected this film for its high concept design, character design, strong animation and story, and the beautiful pacing.

Honorable VIEW Award Mentions to:
** “Dawit” submitted by Fabian Driehort

** “The Story of Percival Pilts” from Yummy Films submitted by Francois Heiser

** “Olilo” submitted by Ao Li

The jury honored these three films for their innovative design and technique and to encourage these filmmakers to continue their outstanding work.

VIEW CONFERENCE 2015 INTERNATIONAL JURY:
MARK OSBORNE - Director, “The Little Prince”
KIM WHITE,  Director of Photography,  Pixar Animation Studios
JORGE R. GUTIERREZ, Director, “The Book of Life”
GLENN ENTIS,  COMPUTER GRAPHICS PIONEER,  OSCAR WINNER
SHANNON TINDLE,  Director, Google Spotlight Story: “On Ice”
BARBARA ROBERTSON,  Journalist
MARIA ELENA GUTIÉRREZ,  Director, VIEW Conference & VIEW Fest
The Prize for First Place was 2000 Euros.
The Prize for Second Place was a Wacom Tablet.                                               
Honorable mentions received Gift Certificates.

www.viewconference.it

Aladdin Outtakes

From Yahoo Movies.

"RLC"

Just a little render loving care. https://t.co/DhG2Lf9RfK

— Disney•Pixar (@DisneyPixar) September 30, 2015

News from VIEW 2015

VIEW 2015 ANNOUNCES CELEBRATION OF LAIKA’S 10TH ANNIVERSARY

AND SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS ON THE FUTURE OF VIDEOGAMES

AND “EVEREST” :

REMARKABLE TALENT GATHERING FOR THIS YEAR’S VIEW  

PROMISES BEST CONFERENCE EVER

Turin, Italy, October 7, 2015 – VIEW 2015 has added a special Celebration of Laika’s 10th Anniversary, and also several special presentations about the Future of Videogames, and the making of “Everest,” to this year’s extraordinary gathering of talent. “This year’s VIEW Conference will be, without question, the best one we’ve ever presented!” says Professor Maria Elena Gutierrez, Executive Director. “I can’t wait for this year’s conference to begin.” VIEW 2015 takes place in beautiful Torino, Italy October 19 to 23. To register, and for more information, visit: www.viewconference.it

Among its dozens of outstanding presentations, VIEW 2015 will host a special 10- Year Anniversary Presentation by stop-motion animated specialists Laika. Visual effects supervisor Steven Emerson will present the world of big visual effects inside the tiny world of Laika, and will screen the Laika hit films “Coraline” and “Paranorman.”

VIEW is also hosting various sessions on the Future of Videogames:

** “Let’s Play Together: The Culture of Multiplayer in Videogames” & “Message In A Bottle: The Story of Telling Stories in Videogames”:

Led by Marco Mazzaglia, IT Manager/Videogame Evangelist with Ovosonico, the “Let’s Play Together” workshop will discuss how Massively Multiplayer Online games like “World Of Warcraft” are only the final step of different ways of playing with other people. The goal of the workshop is to teach different ways of “playing together,” not only bounded to usual controller devices like keyboard/mouse/joypad, in order to enable attendees to start making their own best multiplayer game.

In his talk “The Story of Telling Stories in Videogames,” Mazzaglia will discuss how sometimes technology evolves faster than human creativity and how technology offers tools that wait to be used to tell stories or “send messages” to people in most disparate ways. Videogames are now one of the mediums that follow this rule. What are these tools and these techniques today? What “powers” do users have to tell their own stories? This session presents a journey through history and technology that will allow audience members to experience the new “alphabet of the future.”

** Additional Videogame themed presentations will include those from Harvey Parker and Scott Harber of Natural Motion Games talking about the new “CSR2” autoracing game, Oscar Nominee Henry Labounta & Chief Visual Officer at Zynga, and Art Director Ben Brundenell, who creates the “Dawn of Titans” game

Recapping the remakable Highlights of VIEW 2015:

** World premiere presentations of “The Little Prince,” “The Peanuts Movie,” and “Kung Fu Panda III”

** Visual Effects Supervisor Dadi Einarsson takes a look at “Everest” 

** A 40-year anniversary tribute to ILM with Oscar nominated visual effects supervisors Ben Snow and Tim Alexander, and a look at the making of “Jurassic World,” the number three box office leader of all time, with ILM’s Glen McIntosh, Animation Supervisor, and Tim Alexander, ILM’s Visual Effects Supervisor

** A panel of powerful “Women in Animation,” featuring Producer Jinko Gotoh, Pixar’s Kim White, SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival Director Mikki Rose, SCAD Professor Deborah Fowler, and Producer Eleanor Coleman.

** Animation Film Directors’ Panel with Mark Osborne (“The Little Prince,”) Jorge R. Gutierrez (“The Book of Life,”) Kris Pearn (“Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2,”) Richard Starzak (“Shaun the Sheep Movie,”) and Shannon Tindle (“On Ice”)

** Aardman’s creative director Richard Starzak and producer Paul Kewley present “Shaun the Sheep Movie”

** Michael Kurinsky explores “Hotel Transylvania 2”

** Keynote speaker director Jorge Gutierrez journeys through his life of storytelling with pictures. Keynote speaker Shannon Tindle shares his adventures making a Google Spotlight Story. Oscar winner Glenn Entis recounts the spirit and stories of PDI.

** Director of Photography Kim White illuminates Joy, the main character in Pixar’s “Inside Out”

** Presentation of “The Peanuts Movie” with Supervising Animator Scott Carroll

** Keynote Speaker Randy Thom, Director of Sound Design at Skywalker Sound and two-time Oscar winner, presents “Teaching the Camera to Listen: From Apocalypse Now to The Peanuts Movie”

** A look at “Home” with Jason Reisig, Head of Character Animation at DreamWorks Animation

** “Pixels” presentation with Daniel Kramer, Visual Effects Supervisor at Sony Pictures Imageworks

** Behind the scenes with “Night at the Museum 3,” with MPC’s Visual Effects Supervisor Erik Nash

** VIEW Conference Finale: World premiere Keynote address about “Kung Fu Panda III,” by Co-Director Alessandro Carloni of DreamWorks Animation. Also: Keynote address from Oscar nominated Visual Effects Supervisor Chris Townsend, presenting “Avengers: Age of Ultron, Hulk, Vision, and the Gang”

                                                                   - - -

VIEW Executive Director Maria Elena Gutierrez adds, “In addition to our extraordinary conference planned for this year, I also want to tell people to be sure to register now for the interactive workshops that happen on Monday, October 19, and during the conference. We are presenting a wonderful opportunity for students and professionals from around the world to learn from Screenwriter David Misch, Director Kris Pearn, Photographer Michael Rubin, Chief Creative Officer Henry LaBounta, and all our other wonderful workshop coaches. I can’t think of any other gathering in the world where such a diverse array of talent would ever be possible.”                                                               

This year’s VIEW Conference’s digital movie Festival, VIEW FEST, takes place October 16-18^th also in Turin: www.viewfest.it                                                                

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Good Dinosaur and Kung Fu Panda 3 Movie Standees

Hotel Transylvania 2 Press Day

Need some fresh Halloween animated entertainment? Sony Pictures Animation's Hotel Transylvania 2 debuts today in theaters, blending top-of-the-line computer animation with hand-drawn squash-and-stretch whimsy. I went on Monday to Sony Pictures Animation in Culver city for a screening and they always make things fun there at their studio. Director Genndy Tartakofsky was on hand to introduce the film for the press who had gathered. He mentioned that the film would be both silly and fun. It doesn't strive to be an Oscar contender but delivers on what it promises by being both silly and fun, with some multi-generational vampire family dynamics thrown in to the mix.

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From the production notes:

Drac’s pack is back for an all-new monster comedy adventure in Sony Pictures Animation's Hotel Transylvania 2! Everything seems to be changing for the better at Hotel Transylvania... Dracula’s rigid monster-only hotel policy has finally relaxed, opening up its doors to human guests. But behind closed coffins, Drac is worried that his adorable half-human, half-vampire grandson, Dennis, isn’t showing signs of being a vampire. So while Mavis is busy visiting her human in-laws with Johnny – and in for a major cultural shock of her own – “Vampa” Drac enlists his friends Frank, Murray, Wayne and Griffin to put Dennis through a “monster-in- training” boot camp. But little do they know that Drac’s grumpy and very old, old, old school dad Vlad is about to pay a family visit to the hotel. And when Vlad finds out that his great-grandson is not a pure blood – and humans are now welcome at Hotel Transylvania – things are going to get batty!

Director Genndy Tartakovsky & producer Michelle Murdocca

Production Stills

Press Junket Photos:

Press Release: Disney•Pixar's TOY STORY THAT TIME FORGOT on Blu-ray & Digital HD November 3rd

Join Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen) and the Gang as They Embark on a Hilarious New Adventure for the Entire Family!

"TOY STORY THAT TIME FORGOT" Available for the First Time on Blu-ray™, Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere on November 3rd

Loaded with All New Never-Before-Seen Bonus Features Including Behind-the-Scenes, Sing-Alongs and Over 10 Minutes of Deleted Scenes!

Disney•Pixar proudly presents a hilarious new animated "Toy Story" adventure. During one of Bonnie's post-Christmas play dates, the "Toy Story" crew find themselves in uncharted territory when the coolest set of action figures ever turn out to be dangerously delusional. It's all up to Trixie, the triceratops, if the gang hopes to ever return to Bonnie's room. "Toy Story That Time Forgot" is an unforgettable tale packed with family fun and a must-have for every Pixar fan's collection!

Disney Screen

Beginning July 31st (which was actually a few days ago) six Cinemark theaters in the country are trying out the "Disney Screen" program where classic Disney and Pixar films will be shown. Each feature film is also paired with a n animated short. Most of the feature films to be shown are animated but there are a few live-action classics, such as "Swiss Family Robinson," and "The Love Bug."

With each new week a new batch of four films comes that will be presented throughout that week. Each batch is categorized by names such as, "Music Week," "Dogs Week," "Pixar Week," "Animals Week," "Marvelous Machines Week" or "Princess Week." Personally, I am planning on seeing The Aristocats later today and The Jungle Book tomorrow. Check the schedule to see what will be playing near you:

Disney Screen

Disney/Pixar's LAVA on Disney Movies Anywhere

Disney/Pixar's newest short LAVA, will be available to watch exclusively on digital on the Disney Movies Anywhere app for iPhone®, iPad® or iPod touch® (http://di.sn/6001BD2Mh), for a limited two week window starting July 30th (7/30/15 - 8/12/15). Currently in theaters with "Inside Out," Disney Movies Anywhere offers the only place where you can fall in "lava" with LAVA from the comfort of your own home!

LAVA is inspired by the isolated beauty of tropical islands and the explosive allure of ocean volcanoes, and is a musical love story that takes place over millions of years.

Check out a clip here:

PRESS RELEASE: Star Wars Rebels: Complete Season One

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A Spark of Rebellion Ignites the Galaxy in
Star Wars Rebels: Complete Season One!
    
On Blu-ray™ and DVD September 1, 2015

BURBANK, California, June 26, 2015 –– Star Wars Rebels: Complete Season One delivers all 15 action-packed episodes plus never-before-seen bonus material and cast/crew interviews revealing the magic behind the making of the hit series. Releasing on Blu-ray and DVD on September 1, this is a must-add collection to the library!

In the first groundbreaking season of Star Wars Rebels, young hero Ezra Bridger joins the clever but motley crew of the starship Ghost in their resistance against the Empire. As the series begins, Imperial forces have occupied a remote planet, ruling with an iron fist and ruining the lives of its people. Ezra and his new rebel friends -- Hera, Kanan, Sabine, Zeb and Chopper -- embark on daring adventures in their fight against oppression across the galaxy, receiving help from familiar heroes such as Lando Calrissian, Ahsoka Tano, and Jedi Master Yoda. Pursued relentlessly by the Imperials and a Jedi hunter called the Inquisitor, this tenacious ragtag band of rebels will find itself in the crosshairs of none other than Darth Vader when season one closes in a shocking two-part finale. 

Star Wars Rebels is created by Dave Filoni (“Star Wars: The Clone Wars”), Simon Kinberg (“X-Men: Days of Future Past,” “Sherlock Holmes”), and Carrie Beck. The Lucasfilm Animation production is also executive-produced by Filoni and Kinberg as well as Greg Weisman (“Gargoyles”).

Featuring the voices of Freddie Prinze Jr. (“I Know What You Did Last Summer”) as Kanan, Vanessa Marshall (TV’s “Young Justice”) as Hera, Steve Blum (“The Boxtrolls”) as Zeb, Tiya Sircar (“The Internship”) as Sabine, Taylor Gray (TV’s “Bucket and Skinner’s Epic Adventures”) as Ezra, David Oyelowo (“Selma”) as Agent Kallus and Jason Isaacs (“Harry Potter”) as the Inquisitor.

Bonus Features:
Blu-ray:
Rebels Infiltrates Star Wars Celebration (Exclusive to Blu-ray)
Season One shorts: “The Machine in the Ghost,” “Art Attack,” “Entanglement,” “Property of Ezra Bridger”
All DVD Bonus (see below)

DVD:
Rebels Recon: 14 behind-the-scenes featurettes
Star Wars Rebels – The Ultimate Guide
Star Wars Rebels Season 2 – A Look Ahead

Disc Specifications:
Release Date:        September 1, 2015
Format:        Blu-ray (2-Disc) & DVD (3-Disc)
Rating:            TV Y7 FV
Run Time:        Approximately 330 minutes (not including bonus)
Closed Captioned:    Yes
Aspect Ratio:        1:78 (Widescreen)
Audio:         5.1 Dolby Digital
Languages/ Subtitles:    English, French & Spanish

About the TV Show:
New episodes of Star Wars Rebels Season Two premiere this fall on Disney XD.

ABOUT THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS:
For over 90 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under the following banners: Disney, including Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios; Disneynature; Marvel Studios; Lucasfilm; and Touchstone Pictures, the banner under which live-action films from DreamWorks Studios are distributed. The Disney Music Group encompasses the Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records labels, as well as Disney Music Publishing. The Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Disney on Broadway, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!

About Lucasfilm Ltd.
Lucasfilm Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production. In addition to its motion-picture and television production, the company's activities include visual effects and audio post-production, cutting-edge digital animation, interactive entertainment software, and the management of the global merchandising activities for its entertainment properties including the legendary STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in northern California

Lucasfilm, the Lucasfilm logo, STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. STAR WARS © & TM 2015 Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

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© 2015 Disney / © & TM 2015 Lucasfilm Ltd.

Hotel Transylvania 2 - Official Trailer

After a few teasers here's the full official trailer for Sony Picture Animation's "Hotel Transylvania 2" plus a few screen shots:

Click any image to view it larger:

And just for fun, because I like to mention food/animation references, here's a "Hotel Transylvania 2" Cinco de Mayo video:

Get Smurfy Press Release

The World To GET SMURFY on March 31, 2017

—Demi Lovato, Rainn Wilson and Mandy Patinkin

To Lend Their Voices to Fully Computer-Animated Feature Film—

Culver City, CA, June 14, 2015 – To mark this year’s June 14^th Global Smurfs Day, Sony Pictures Animation announced the all star cast of Get Smurfy, its brand new, fully computer-animated feature film reminiscent of creator Peyo Culliford’s original recognizable style.

Get Smurfy finds Smurfette and her brothers trekking through the uncharted Enchanted Forest to try and discover a fabled Smurfs village before their nemesis, the evil wizard Gargamel, does.  Along the way, some of the mysteries of the little blue creatures’ origins are brought to light:  do Smurfs come in any other colors? are their mushroom houses organic? And... why are there 99 boys and only one girl??? 

Platinum-selling recording artist Demi Lovato has signed to voice the girl-power-ful Smurfette, with Emmy-nominated comic actor Rainn Wilson (The Office, Monsters vs. Aliens) stepping into the evil shoes of the Smurf nemesis, Gargamel. Papa Smurf will be played by Emmy winner Mandy Patinkin (The Princess Bride, Homeland).     

Set for a worldwide release on March 31, 2017, the new feature-length animated adventure will be directed by Kelly Asbury (Shrek 2, Gnomeo & Juliet), produced by Jordan Kerner (Charlotte’s Web, The Smurfs) and co-produced by Mary Ellen Bauder (Hotel Transylvania).

Get Smurfy will stand as a brand new entry in the Columbia Pictures movie franchise that has grossed more than $900 million globally.

Says director Kelly Asbury, “The continued popularity of the Smurfs is unmistakeable, and this new outing will return them to the fully-animated world that launched them.”

Producer Jordan Kerner continues, “We felt it was important to take a very different approach with this origin story.  It returns to the roots of Peyo’s creation in this CG animated adventure.  I hope it will delight not only fans but audiences worldwide.  We couldn't be more excited with the talented new cast we're starting to assemble for our Smurfy reboot! ”

Adds Sony Pictures Animation’s Kristine Belson, “We have gathered a group of filmmakers and artists who have grown up with these loveable characters, and Get Smurfy will be imbued with the same spirit of adventure that first made all of us lifelong fans of these little blue guys…and girl.” 

Based on the characters and works of PEYO.

SMURF, and all Smurfs characters: ©Peyo. All Rights Reserved. “Smurf” and “The Smurfs” are registered trademarks of STUDIO PEYO

ABOUT SONY PICTURES ANIMATION

Sony Pictures Animation produces a variety of animated and family entertainment for audiences around the world.  The studio is following its worldwide comedy hits—the 2012 monster hit comedy Hotel Transylvania, the hybrid live action/animated blockbusters The Smurfs and The Smurfs 2, and the mouth-watering Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs movies—with the family comedies Hotel Transylvania 2 scheduled in September 2015,  and Get Smurfy in March 2017.  The studio, in conjunction with Aardman Animations, has produced two critically acclaimed feature films:  the CG-animated family comedy Arthur Christmas; and the Academy Award® nominated stop-frame animated high-seas adventure, The Pirates! Band of Misfits.  In 2007, Surf's Up also received an Academy Award® nomination for Best Animated Feature Film.  The division, whose first feature film Open Season led to a very successful movie franchise, turned 10 in 2012.

·         Website: http://www.sonypicturesanimation.com/
·         Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SONYPicturesAnimation

·         Twitter:  http://twitter.com/sonyanimation

·         Tumblr: http://sonyanimation.tumblr.com/

·         YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/SonyAnimation

ABOUT SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com.

ABOUT THE SMURFS

The story of the Smurfs - a property created by Peyo - started in 1958 with the creation of comic books which were later brought to both the big and small screen. Over the years, the little blue characters haven't just limited themselves to the page and the screen. They have inspired records and CDs that have sold millions of copies, entire collections of figurines and toys, and many more products. In all, more than 3,000 derived products have been produced and leading brands and companies have spread their messages worldwide with the help of the Smurfs. A multitude of new projects appear regularly, thus making the success of the Smurfs planetary!

ABOUT LAFIG BELGIUM S.A.

Lafig Belgium is the owner of the rights to produce audio-visual works based on the Smurf universe and of the Smurf worldwide licensing rights (together with IMPS). Lafig Belgium is controlled by the heirs of Pierre Culliford, better known under his pseudonym Peyo, the author/creator of the Smurfs. For 50 years, the Culliford family has controlled the Smurf characters and all licenses worldwide.

Open Season: Scared Silly

 

Sony Pictures Animation Announces

OPEN SEASON: SCARED SILLY for Spring 2016

Culver City, CA (June 10, 2015) – Continuing one of its most successful franchises, Sony Pictures Animation today announced the upcoming release of OPEN SEASON: SCARED SILLY, the fourth installment in the titled series. This latest production brings back Elliot, Boog and all of the beloved woodland creatures in a brand new comedy adventure, with David Feiss (head of story on the original Open Season and creator of the popular TV series Cow and Chicken) directing and John Bush (The Simpsons, Family Guy) producing.  

OPEN SEASON: SCARED SILLY opens with Elliot telling a campfire story about the legend of the Wailing Wampus Werewolf that lives in Timberline National Forest. Domesticated Boog is terrified by the story and decides to “chicken out” of their annual summer camping trip until he knows the werewolf is gone. Determined to help Boog overcome his fears, Elliot and their woodland friends band together to scare the fear out of Boog and uncover the mystery of the Wailing Wampus Werewolf. 

Says Director Feiss, “My affection for these characters has only grown since we introduced them in Sony Pictures Animation’s first feature.  We’re having a lot of fun bringing them back for a new adventure—it feels like a big party with old friends.”

Most recently, Feiss—whose prolific career began as a story artist for Hanna-Barbera—directed four mini-movies for the home entertainment release of Sony Pictures Animation’s Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2, entitled Steve’s First Bath, Super Manny, Attack Of The 50ft Gummy Bear and Earl Scouts. 

OPEN SEASON: SCARED SILLY is slated for a Spring 2016 release from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, with Canadian computer animation and design company Rainmaker Entertainment, Inc. serving as the animation facility for the production.

PRESS RELEASE: Walt Disney Animation Studios Shorts Collection on Digital Aug 11 & Blu-ray Aug 15

Together For the First Time! 12 Animated Short Films

WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS SHORTS COLLECTION

Available Early on Digital HD/Disney Movies Anywhere (DMA) on August 11, 2015. Bring It Home on Blu-ray™ on August 18, 2015

Fans Can Now Enjoy The In-Home Debuts of the Beloved Animated Shorts "Frozen Fever," "Lorenzo," and "Tick Tock Tale." Also includes Academy Award®-Winning Animated Shorts "Feast" (2014) and "Paperman" (2012), Special Filmmaker Introductions and More!

From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes an extraordinary new collection of award-winning and beloved short films featuring Disney's Frozen Fever, starring Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Sven and Kristoff, and the Oscar®-nominated "Lorenzo" (Best Animated Short, 2004). The Short Films Collection includes contemporary shorts starring classic characters, such as the groundbreaking 2013 Mickey Mouse cartoon, "Get A Horse!" and the holiday treat "Prep & Landing: Operation: Secret Santa", as well as celebrated Oscar winners "Paperman" (2012) and "Feast" (2014). Enjoy them together for the first time in this must-own collection with all-new extras including an inside look at the Disney Animation shorts, featuring introductions and interviews with the acclaimed filmmakers themselves.

Minions Movie Standee

Another UP Balloon

Hotel Transylvania 2: Anatomy of a Teaser Trailer

Sony Pictures Animation just launched a 3-part series dissecting what went into the making of the HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA teaser trailer.

Check out the first two parts:

Part 1

Part 2

Stay tuned for Part 3.

Sony Animation Updates

Getting caught up on a bunch of things after some computer downtime. Here's some updates from Sony Pictures Animation regarding the Smurfs, Hotel Transylvania, and The Lamb:

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Sony Pictures Animation announced today that UNTITLED ANIMATED SMURFS will be released globally on March 31, 2017, taking advantage of the family-friendly Easter window. The film marks a brand new, fully animated take on the beloved blue creatures in Columbia’s Smurfs franchise which has grossed over $900 million worldwide.

Commenting on the announcement, Rory Bruer, president, Worldwide Distribution for Sony Pictures, said, "With a fully animated feature close in tone and design to Peyo's original creation, we're embracing everything that have made the Smurfs so special for audiences worldwide.  The date is a perfect match for this particular movie.  With the kids on break, every day plays like summer, and for franchises with global appeal like the Smurfs, audiences are ready to turn out for great entertainment."

Directed by Kelly Asbury (SHREK 2, GNOMEO & JULIET), UNTITLED ANIMATED SMURFS is produced by Jordan Kerner (CHARLOTTE'S WEB, THE SMURFS) and co-produced by Mary Ellen Bauder (HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA).  The film's final title and new voice cast will be announced in the coming months.

Read more on director Kelly Asbury's official production blog at http://bit.ly/1NhogDH

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Sony Pictures Animation today announced that Oscar nominated director Tim Reckart (HEAD OVER HEELS) will develop and make his feature directorial debut with THE LAMB.

THE LAMB is a fully CG animated theatrical feature project which tells the inspirational story of a young lamb who will change the world. Based on an original pitch by Tom Sheridan, THE LAMB is produced by DeVon Franklin under his company Franklin Entertainment; Jenny Marchick is the exec overseeing the project at Sony Pictures Animation.

Tim Reckart garnered an Oscar nomination in 2013 for his stop-motion animated short HEAD OVER HEELS which examines a marriage from a very unique perspective -- where the wife lives on the ceiling and the husband on the floor.  It was his student thesis at the National Film & Television School in the UK. Reckart also holds a BA in history and literature from Harvard University and an MA in directing animation from the National Film & Television School.  He is repped by APA and The Gotham Group.

Commenting on the announcement, director Tim Reckart stated: "I'm thrilled to be developing THE LAMB with DeVon Franklin and the team at Sony Pictures Animation, who have been so supportive of my efforts to develop a bold, creative direction for the project.  THE LAMB is a powerful story with deeply felt emotions and gorgeous visuals, all coming through the humor and charm of our cast of animals.  I can't imagine a more exciting project for my animated feature debut."

Producer DeVon Franklin added: "I'm beyond thrilled to be working with Tim to bring The Lamb to life. He's truly one of the most talented new visionaries working in animation today and we are already blown away by his unique storytelling and the creative imprint he is bringing to this project.”

https://www.facebook.com/TheLambMovie

Pixels Movie Standee & Trailer

UPDATE: Here's a new Pixels standee:

EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival

A lot of Disney and Pixar characters show up in the examples of terrific topiary (courtesy of flickr user photography_shoots):