Tag Archives: Animation Director

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Portfolio Entertainment Launches Animation Studio in Toronto, Canada

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Portfolio Entertainmment Animation Studio_Sept 2015_Email

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Portfolio Entertainment Launches Animation Studio in Toronto, Canada

(September 21, 2015 – Toronto, Canada) – Producer and distributor Portfolio Entertainment is pleased to announce the launch of Portfolio Animation, a creative-driven animation studio equipped with top-tier talent, cutting-edge technology and commitment to excellence. The studio is part of Portfolio’s multi-faceted expansion plan that commenced in 2014 with the installation of a new senior management team to drive the company’s growth and diversification strategy.   

Situated in the creative hub of Toronto’s King West district, the new ultra-modern studio encompasses 9,000 square feet. Portfolio’s corporate office has also relocated to this facility.

The launch of Portfolio Animation builds on the company’s distinguished track record in production, distribution and brand-building of award-winning animation content, including international success stories, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! and DOKI. Senior Vice President of Production Julie Stall is at the helm of the new studio, along with Head of Studio Operations Sonya Carey, while Dave Beatty is the Senior Producer and showrunner for the studio’s first series Freaktown.

Portfolio Animation has hit the ground running with three projects in its pipeline. The company is now meeting with co-producers and networks globally to bring more projects under its collaborative roof.

“We are very excited to be growing our core business with the launch of Portfolio Animation. What sets Portfolio Animation apart is our hand-picked team of extraordinary talent, booming energy and the company’s two decades of production and distribution experience. Our goal is to incubate creativity, foster collaboration and deliver incomparable content,” said Lisa Olfman, CEO and Co-Founder, Portfolio Entertainment. “Through innovation and playful experimentation, Julie, Dave and the in-house team of artists create, shape and realize a shared vision with each partner, while ensuring outstanding quality, value and efficiency.”

The studio’s concept development, design, storyboarding, animatic editing and full animation services are complemented by Portfolio’s distribution arm, which brings international sales and marketing expertise to each project and ensures global success beyond the first screen.

For Portfolio Animation inquiries, please email studioinfo@portfolio-ent.com.

 

About Portfolio Entertainment

Portfolio Entertainment produces and distributes kids, factual and unscripted entertainment to television and digital media content providers worldwide. With two decades of industry experience, the company has a vibrant, creative culture and an entrepreneurial edge. Portfolio’s most notable projects include the celebrated The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That!; Freaktown, an entirely new property set to launch on Teletoon in 2016; the dogumentary For the Love of Dog; and the MOW Stolen Miracle. Pivotal since start-up, Portfolio’s international distribution division represents a diverse catalogue of original and third party programs and has earned a reputation for superior content, diligence and drive. Portfolio was founded by Lisa Olfman and Joy Rosen and is based in Toronto, Canada. www.portfolioentertainment.com

Media Contact:

Roopa Shah

Communications

Portfolio Entertainment

rshah@portfolio-ent.com

(416) 856-2666

 

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“King” by Grades

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A really cute animated music video. I wish this would happen to me! Then again I could never dance was well as this 10 year old so…

GRADES – King (Official Video)
King is out now: http://po.st/iKing

Subscribe to GRADES : http://www.youtube.com/user/Gradesoff…

Director – Taichi Kimura
Producer – Takuma Hiramatsu
Animation – Rapparu

http://www.gradesofficial.com/
https://www.facebook.com/GradesOfficial
https://www.soundcloud.com/gradesoffi…
https://www.twitter.com/GRADES
http://instagram.com/GRADES
http://po.st/GradesSpotify

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A Fox Tale

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piH5_aP0fY8&feature=em-subs_digest-vrecs

A beautiful piece reminiscent of something DreamWorks would do. Some great action sequences, really beautiful backgrounds and environments and a truly foxy girl to boot! A definite must watch.

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Kevin Petrilak

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WHAT IS YOUR NAME AND CURRENT OCCUPATION?
My name is Kevin Petrilak and I am an animation director…I detest the title “sheettimer” because it is the studios’ way of diminishing the importance of what we do.

 

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CRAZIER JOBS YOU HAD BEFORE GETTING INTO ANIMATION?
I guess the two that come to mind would be in my high school years. I worked for a garden nursery where I moved bags of manure from one place to another ( some things never change).  The other would be working in super market meat locker, bagging frozen chicken ( some things stay the same).

 

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOU FAVORITE PROJECTS YOU’RE PROUD TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF?
ZIGGYS GIFT and BACK IN ACTION come to mind as being a combination of enjoying the work and the crew.  Although I get a lot of mention for animating the opening credits to  THE SIMPSONS (original versions) .

 

WHERE ARE YOU FROM AND HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE ANIMATION BUSINESS?
I was born in New York and I had the bug since I was a little boy.  While visiting my Uncle Gerry, who was Continue reading

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PARIS OPERA COMMISSIONS GLEN KEANE TO CREATE “NEPHTALI”

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AnimationBond_0005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 15, 2015

PARIS OPERA COMMISSIONS GLEN KEANE TO CREATE “NEPHTALI,” A SHORT FILM FOR THEIR NEW DIGITAL STAGE, “3RD STAGE”

Glen Keane Productions is pleased to announce the official launch of Glen’s new film, “Nephtali,” which was created for the Paris Opera to coincide with today’s launch of their new digital stage, 3rd Stage (3e Scène, in French). Here is a direct link to the film: https://www.operadeparis.fr/en/3e-scene/nephtali.

Glen was personally invited to join a distinguished list of artists and filmmakers to help launch 3rd Stage by Benjamin Millepied, the new Director of Dance for the Paris Opera. Benjamin and Glen first met while they were both working on projects at Google last year.

“We invited Glen Keane to come to the Paris Opera because he is one of the best artists in the world,” stated Dimitri Chamblas, artistic director of the 3rd Stage of Paris Opera. “It was such a dream to have him working with the dancers to invent a story. He is first and foremost about the movement of his subject, and the very singular and fantastic way he transmits that movement through animation. Glen is a major artist and we couldn’t imagine opening the Paris Opera Digital stage without having him on board.”

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The 3rd Stage’s spectators live all around the globe, speak every language, and love art in all its forms. Stéphane Lissner, Director of the Paris Opera, describes the 3rdStage as “an autonomous venue for digital creation to complement the Palais Garnier and the Opéra Bastille.” He continues, “The aim of this digital 3rd Stage is to commission new works from artists through original pieces offering an original perspective on the world of opera, music, dance, our cultural heritage, the architecture of our two theatres and the skilled professionals working of the Paris Opera. Glen is among 16 other top artists and filmmakers who were invited to create unique works for the debut of the 3rd Stage. The rest of the films can be seen here: https://www.operadeparis.fr/en/3e-scene

“Nephtali”, which refers to Jacob’s blessings and Psalm 42, was born from the comparison between the grace of a dancer and that of a deer. In a choreography which Glen created with dancer Marion Barbeau, he depicts the journey of a soul that is drawn towards a higher power, fights a struggle and is eventually liberated. By using both film and drawing, Glen and Marion manage to overcome the constraints of gravity and attain the freedom towards which a dancer’s body and spirit always aspire.

Said Glen Keane, “It was a humbling experience for me to work as an animator in the Opera Garnier. It is a palace steeped in the heritage of the craft and art of ballet. I was astounded by the expressiveness and power of the dancers I drew. There is a close connection between dance and animation. I was taught by my mentors at Disney to think in terms of “golden poses” that communicate the emotion and attitude of the character. I noticed in ballet the same use of these “golden poses.” Working with ballerina Marion Barbeau I had the impression I was working with a great animator, only she expressed herself through her body’s movements instead of a pencil… and with such rhythm and grace! I am truly grateful to Benjamin Millepied and the Paris Ballet for the invitation to step into their world and live my animation dream for a moment.

ABOUT GLEN KEANE AND GLEN KEANE PRODUCTIONS

A 38-year veteran of Walt Disney Feature Animation, Glen Keane is most noted for creating and animating such legendary Disney characters as Ariel in “The Little Mermaid”, Aladdin, Pocahontas, the Beast from “Beauty and the Beast”, and Tarzan. Glen also served as Supervising Animator and Executive Producer on Disney’s 2010 box office hit, “Tangled”. In the spring of 2012, Glen decided to leave Disney Studios in pursuit of further artistic exploration. In his departure letter he stated: “I am convinced that animation really is the ultimate art form of our time with endless new territories to explore. I can’t resist its siren call to step out and discover them.” In 2013, he launched Glen Keane Productions to pursue his personal projects. Immediately after launching GKP, he teamed up with Google ATAP (Advanced Technology and Projects) to create the acclaimed Google Spotight Story, “duet.”