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KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS – ‘I Don’t Got This’ Clip – In Theaters August 19

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO1y6CEeV_8

Take a sneak peek at the magical adventure by watching a recently released clip that showcases the bravery of Beetle, voiced by Matthew McConaughey.

Kubo’s quest begins nationwide August 19, 2016 from animation studio LAIKA and Focus Features

For additional materials, please download here:

Worlds Art I Teaser Art I Character Posters I Photography

Synopsis:

Kubo and the Two Strings is an epic action-adventure set in a fantastical Japan from acclaimed animation studio LAIKA. Clever, kindhearted Kubo (voiced by Art Parkinson of “Game of Thrones”) ekes out a humble living, telling stories to the people of his seaside town including Hosato (George Takei), Hashi (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa), and Kameyo (Academy Award nominee Brenda Vaccaro). But his relatively quiet existence is shattered when he accidentally summons a spirit from his past which storms down from the heavens to enforce an age-old vendetta. Now on the run, Kubo joins forces with Monkey (Academy Award winner Charlize Theron) and Beetle (Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey), and sets out on a thrilling quest to save his family and solve the mystery of his fallen father, the greatest samurai warrior the world has ever known. With the help of his shamisen – a magical musical instrument – Kubo must battle gods and monsters, including the vengeful Moon King (Academy Award nominee Ralph Fiennes) and the evil twin Sisters (Academy Award nominee Rooney Mara), to unlock the secret of his legacy, reunite his family, and fulfill his heroic destiny.

Director: Travis Knight

Writers: Marc Haimes and Chris Butler (“ParaNorman”)

Voice Cast: Charlize Theron, Art Parkinson, Ralph Fiennes, George Takei, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Brenda Vaccaro, Rooney Mara, and Matthew McConaughey

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Dan Schier

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What is your name and your current occupation?
Dan Schier, working at Nickelodeon as a character designer.
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
The earliest jobs I had as a kid were the craziest. My best friend and I waded through crayfish infested lakes, retrieved and resold golf balls in stealthy, makeshift wholesale locations. We did alright for kids, and it was tax free! My first official job was a paper boy. The crazy part is that I was loosing money because customers hid from me when I attempted to collect, or didn’t pay me on time. So I had to cover them adults at age 16. Bye, bye golf ball money. First artistic job was at Disneyland doing caricatures and portraits in New Orleans Square spring/summer of ’97. It was fun to have a license to stare at pretty girls.

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
I guess I’m proud of and enjoyed each project on different levels. Working on Dora makes me feel good because it’s a very well intentioned show that aims to teach kids instead of the opposite. My first job on Disney’s “Atlantis” is probably a favorite. I was still idealistic at that point. It’s also when I first met my wife who worked in Backgrounds. Our crew was a lot of fun and we were working on the main character, Milo. I remember when I first started and was looking at development art and inspirational art from things like 101 Dalmatians I felt like I had arrived, and was so excited about the prospects I had fantasized about.

How did you become interested in animation?
I always drew and loved watching cartoons-particulary Looney Toons and Disney, and some Hanna Barbera…actually, I liked anything that was good and entertaining. I basically gravitated toward Continue reading

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Cintiq Alternative- The Artisul D13

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ArtisulD13_sideview

Here’s an interesting new tablet on the market, or at least new to me and my friends… The Artisul D13 which is essentially a 13″ Cintiq type device. you draw directly on the screen and connect it to your laptop or desktop. No word on whether it has Wacom drivers or is N-trig but it seems to be a neat little device and if you read the story behind it, it was designed BY an artist so you know that they’re catering to our community. In the box are the tablet with stylus, Pen Case (10 tips + Pen and inbuilt tip remover), Pen stand HDMI & USB cable, Universal Power Adaptor and 12 Month Warranty. The Artisul D13 sells for $599 and the stand is an extra $60.

SPECIFICATIONS

specification-iconsORANGE_07
Compatible

with MAC and Windows

Advanced Precision

2048 pen pressure for easy control along with 10 pen tips

HD Display & Connections

13.3″ screen size, wide degree viewing angle, USB and HDMI cable

Ergonomics

right or left-handed adaptability

Hot Keys

for shortcuts and increased productivity

Portability

Can be powered by two 3.0USB

Here’s a short video of Roberto Blake using the device. He seems to like it and can clearly draw on it. Still no word on those damn drivers though!

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Freek van Haagen

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What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Freek van Haagen, and I’m currently a freelance illustrator and animator.

 

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Oh, I was…an art-director and packaging designer. I even was an electrician-assistant way back at my dad’s office. But that’s like really long ago. And I had my own little animation/games company 15 years ago.
What are some of your favourite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
Well New Eden comes to mind first of course. It’s an animated sci-fi web comedy about two crewmen that have crash landed on the wrong planet. They are quite literally the last surviving people in the whole galaxy. And now they have to survive everything the hostile planet throws at them. It turns out that’s the easy part because getting along with each other proves to be harder. It was made on a zero-budget but it was a lot of fun. The last cool job I did commercially was for Aquafresh. The toothpaste brand wanted an online game teaching kids about the health of their teeth. I did all the character designs, background designs and even did an intro animation. Turned out pretty cool and got positive reviews.

 

How did you become interested in animation?
The first time I saw a Disney movie. I don’t remember which one but I do know that I couldn’t understand how Continue reading

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Hasbro Acquires Boulder Media Animation Studio

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imgresboulder-media-c

Hasbro Acquires Boulder Media Animation Studio

Hasbro Expands TV and Feature Film Capabilities with Purchase of Irish Animation Studio

PAWTUCKET, R.I. — Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) today announced that it has acquired Boulder Media, a multi-award winning Irish animation company based in Dublin. Boulder has produced a variety of award-winning series for Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Disney and BBC. As a wholly-owned subsidiary, Boulder will continue to produce animated series on behalf of third-party clients, in addition to producing animation projects for Hasbro’s best-known brands. Terms of the transaction, which closed on July 13, 2016, were not disclosed.

“At Hasbro, we’re building our brands through storytelling, and today, we’re telling richer stories across more platforms than ever before,” said Brian Goldner, Hasbro’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We are also reinventing traditional modalities of animation production, both creatively and financially. With Boulder, we will deliver the highest quality animation that will engage our audiences with deep storytelling and great characters in a very cost-efficient manner.”

Founded in 2000 by Robert Cullen, Boulder is one of the fastest growing animation studios in Ireland with approximately 150 full-time employees. Boulder will retain its brand and report into Stephen Davis who leads Hasbro’s entertainment and consumer products licensing division. In February 2016, Hasbro was ranked No. 3 on Fast Company’s list of Most Innovative Companies in Hollywood.

“As one of the largest independent studios producing animation in Hollywood, the time is right for Hasbro to acquire its own animation studio, allowing us to expand our animation and storytelling capabilities even further,” said Stephen Davis, Executive Vice President and Chief Content Officer, Hasbro. “In Boulder, we have found one of the most progressive, innovative and creative teams in the business. We are thrilled to partner with Rob Cullen, Pete Lewis, Jenni MacNeaney and the entire Boulder team as we significantly enhance the execution of our story-led Brand Blueprint strategy.”

“Boulder and Hasbro have ambitious plans for growth, and working together, we will substantially expand our team and our business,” said Robert Cullen, Creative Director, Boulder. “We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to bring to life the Hasbro stories and characters that mean so much to our team, and join a company that’s emerging as an entertainment powerhouse.”

About Hasbro

Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS) is a global company committed to Creating the World’s Best Play Experiences by leveraging its beloved brands, including LITTLEST PET SHOP, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, MONOPOLY, MY LITTLE PONY, NERF, PLAY-DOH and TRANSFORMERS, and premier partner brands. From toys and games, television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and consumer product licensing, Hasbro fulfills the fundamental need for play and connection with children and families around the world. The Company’s Hasbro Studios and its film label, Allspark Pictures, create entertainment brand-driven storytelling across mediums, including television, film, digital and more. Through the company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility, including philanthropy, Hasbro is helping to build a safe and sustainable world and to positively impact the lives of millions of children and families. Learn more at www.hasbro.com, and follow us on Twitter (@Hasbro & @HasbroNews) and Instagram (@Hasbro).

About Hasbro Studios and Allspark Pictures

Hasbro Studios is responsible for entertainment, brand-driven storytelling for Hasbro across television, commercial productions and short-form content. It develops, produces and distributes content based on Hasbro’s world class brands, including TRANSFORMERS, MY LITTLE PONY, and LITTLEST PET SHOP. Many of its series air on Discovery Family Channel and on networks and digital platforms in more than 190 territories globally. Since its formation in 2009, the studio has received ten Daytime Emmy wins.

On the film side through its film label Allspark Pictures, the Company has developed and produced a number of features based on Hasbro’s brands. Films in development or planned for release include OUIJA 2 (Universal), MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE (Lionsgate), MAGIC: THE GATHERING (21st Century Fox), PLAY-DOH (21st Century Fox), TRANSFORMERS 5, 6 and 7 (Paramount) and the Cinematic Universe (Paramount) which includes GI JOE, MICRONAUTS, M.A.S.K, ROM and VISIONARIES.

About Boulder Media

Boulder Media is a multi-award winning Irish animation company based in Dublin. One of Ireland’s largest animation studios, it has produced many great shows for Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, BBC and Disney, including Wander Over Yonder for Disney, and Go Jetters and Danger Mouse for BBC. Learn more atwww.bouldermedia.tv/.

© 2016 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Deane Taylor

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What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Deane Taylor, I draw stories, create worlds, design and direct animation in multi mediums.

 

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
Before animation I was a signwriter, scenic painter, a television presenter and most crazy… A volunteer ambulance officer.

 

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
Cow and chicken was a highlight for me, I did the layout and art direction with my good friend David Feiss who I have the utmost respect for. Recently I was Creative Director on a series called Figaro Pho. The extended version of 26xI min interstitials. Very cool.  On the film side…The Nightmare Before Christmas continues to be the project closest to me.

How did you become interested in animation?
I used to be a big fan of the early Fleischer cartoons where miniature sets combined with 2-D. Other influences were Continue reading