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Vancouver Animation School Expands into U.S.

The largest educational institution of its kind in Canada, Vancouver Animation School (VANAS), has just opened its first office in the U.S. To celebrate the new branch, VANAS will promote a free animation workshop aimed at the American audience.

The online event will take place on Saturday, April 2 at 10:30 a.m.Pacific Time, live on the Zoom platform. The event’s content will present the VANAS methodology and courses for professionals and interested parties to understand the Animation, Visual Effects, and Video Games industries.

“This is a proud moment for us at VANAS to offer fellow Americans an option in post-secondary education. We are now bringing all of the expertise of our amazing team of professional artists to the U.S.A.,” said former Disney animator Calvin Leduc, head of the faculty. “The VANAS main goal is to inspire and serve as an essential tool to enter the world of digital arts.”

The webinar will introduce the Vancouver Animation School and its educational system. Leduc, who has worked on animated features such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) and Mulan (1998), will present animation concepts. Another prominent lecturer is illustrator Todd Marshall (Jurassic Park), who will teach conceptual art. VANAS founder & CEO Mario Pochat, who worked as an animator on Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties (2006) and in the game Dead Rising 3 (2013), will also participate in the session.
Alumni Showcase (Vancouver Animation School)

Founded in 2010, the Vancouver Animation School is a fully accredited online school that offers advanced programs for the animation, visual effects, and video game industries. In addition, the school provides full accredited certificates, diplomas, and university pathways in a variety of art and technology, media and design fields.

In 2013, VANAS became the first 100% online institution to be fully accredited by the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB), a regulatory body in British Columbia, Canada. The British Columbia Education Quality Assurance (BCEQA) and EduCanada.

In 2021, VANAS received state licensure from the Workforce Training Board (WTB) in Washington state.

Additionally, VANAS produces Vantastic Views, a weekly YouTube show with the latest news, trends, and advancements in animation, VFX and videogames.

Detail on: https://www.animationmagazine.net/schools/vancouver-animation-school-expands-into-u-s

Netflix Seeks More Diverse Stories with 2nd Animation Foundations Program
A second edition of the Netflix Animation Foundations Program is underway, continuing the streamer’s initiative to create equitable access to the industry for early creatives from underrepresented communities. “Stories like Spirit Rangers, Maya and the Three and Over the Moon help us see new perspectives and bring us closer to each other. With better representation in the animation industry, we can bring more of these types of stories to the world,” the announcement points out.

The program was developed to help talent compete more effectively against candidates from prestige animation schools or well-connected referrals for entry-level roles in the industry. Last year, NAFP launched with a four-month mentorship offered in partnership with LatinX in Animation and Exceptional Minds.

“This program was so helpful as an aspiring storyboard artist trying to break in. My mentor showed us his creative process and was open to any questions from us,” said NAFP alum Enacio Diaz, who participated in the Story Group. “Just having first hand experience of someone creating a storyboard from a script was amazing to watch. All my niche questions were answered. I’ve learned so much. Thank you so much Netflix! Also to my mentor.”

Production Group mentee Valeria Valdes Cosilion was also enthusiastic about the first session: “This was such a wonderful program! I came in not knowing much about the animation industry and production management for animation, but now, I am leaving with a wealth of knowledge that my mentor, Pam Coats, bestowed on me.”

Detail on https://www.animationmagazine.net/people/netflix-seeks-more-diverse-stories-with-2nd-animation-foundations-program/

☃❄️🍀❄️Merry christmas ❄️🍀❄️☃️

Dreamworks And Illumination Films Will Come To Peacock After 45 Days In Theaters

Peacock is going to get a whole lot more animated.
The streamer has struck a deal with Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (UFEG) that will see it exclusively get most of the studio group’s films, as early as 45 days after they have come out in theaters and on PVOD. The arrangement will begin in 2022. Both Peacock and UFEG are owned by Comcast’s NBCUniversal.

The deal affects two major animation studios, Dreamworks and Illumination, both of which are under the Universal umbrella. Four features from the studios are due to come out next year: The Bad Guys (April 22), Minions: The Rise of Gru (July 1), Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (September 23), and an untitled Super Mario film (December 21).

https://www.cartoonbrew.com/distribution/dreamworks-and-illumination-films-will-come-to-peacock-after-45-days-in-theaters-211357.html?

DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS – Official Trailer

Trailer: ‘DC League of Super-Pets’ Introduces Krypto’s Animated Ruff Riders
Warner Bros. Animation has dropped the first official trailer for furry feature outing DC League of Super-Pets, starring and produced by Dwayne Johnson (the voice of Krypto the Super-Dog), written & directed by Jared Stern (The LEGO Batman Movie). The spot introduces the surprising herd of super-powered pets who step up to save the day when the Justice League is put out of commission.

In DC League of Super-Pets, Krypto the Super-Dog and Superman (John Krasinski) are inseparable best friends, sharing the same superpowers and fighting crime in Metropolis side by side. When Superman and the rest of the Justice League are kidnapped, Krypto must convince a rag-tag shelter pack — Ace the hound (Kevin Hart), PB the potbellied pig (Vanessa Bayer), Merton the turtle (Natasha Lyonne) and Chip the squirrel (Diego Luna) — to master their own newfound powers and help him rescue the superheroes.

https://youtu.be/1jkw2JPCl18

DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS – Official Trailer The are ready to sit, stay, save the world. DC League of Super-Pets will be unleashed in theaters May 2022.-----------------https://www.facebook...

WarnerMedia has acquired the broadcast rights for German-produced preschool show Spookies. The series will be broadcast on WarnerMedia’s Cartoonito channel and will also be streamed on HBO Max in EMEA. Produced by Wolkenleker and distributed globally by Serious Kids (U.K.), the 78 x 7′ CGI animated series is due to be delivered in 2023/24.

“Spookies immediately stood out as a perfect fit for Cartoonito and for HBO Max EMEA/ We are excited to partner with Wolkenlenker to bring this delightful show to preschool audiences,” commented Zia Bales, Lead Acquisitions, Partnerships & Co-productions, Kids & Family, WarnerMedia EMEA.

Spookies tells the story of three special little spirits, Lily, Bob and Freddy, who live in Castle Ravenrock — where there is something new to discover around every cobwebbed corner and up every dusty stairwell. In Ravenrock, no door stays locked, no secret stays under lock and key and no opportunity for adventure is wasted.

https://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/warnermedia-commissions-spookies-for-cartoonito-hbo-max-emea/

LatinX in Animation Launches Spark Animation Grant with Support from Netflix
LatinX in Animation (LXiA), a signature program under the Latino Film Institute (LFI), has opened applications for its first-ever LXiA Spark Animation Grant.

Sponsored by Netflix, this program will select two independent, emerging Latinx animation filmmakers to each receive a grant of $10,000 towards the development and production of an animated short film. The goal is to uplift the presence of Latinx animation filmmakers, drawing attention to their individually unique ideas and perspectives as well as elevating the creativity and talent that the Latinx community at large has to offer the animation industry.

https://www.animationmagazine.net/people/latinx-in-animation-launches-spark-animation-grant-with-support-from-netflix/

Blackstone-Backed Media Co. Acquiring Moonbug Entertainment

Moonbug Entertainment Ltd. — the digital-first, global children’s entertainment company behind CoComelon — has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by the recently formed media company run by entertainment executives Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs, both formerly of TheWalt Disney Company, and backed by investment capital from Blackstone.

Moonbug’s founders, CEO René Rechtman and COO John Robson, and existing management team and shareholders, will retain equity stakes in the Mayer-Staggs-Blackstone-backed media company. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Bloomberg values the transaction at $3 billion.

https://www.animationmagazine.net/digital-media/blackstone-backed-media-co-acquiring-moonbug-entertainment/