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Tag: Animation Studio

  • Animation Studio Cosmos-Maya ropes in Megha Tata as chief executive officer

    Animation Studio Cosmos-Maya ropes in Megha Tata as chief executive officer

    Mumbai: Animation company Cosmos-Maya India has announced the appointment of Megha Tata as its chief executive officer, who will oversee the company’s operations and lead the animation studio into its next phase of growth. Her appointment comes on the heels of the company’s recent announcement of a $50 million investment plan to facilitate growth and expansion in Europe and North America.

    Megha Tata comes with over three decades of experience in the management of television networks in the media and entertainment industry. Prior to Cosmos-Maya, Tata was a managing director at Discovery Communications India. She has held leadership positions at other eminent broadcasters such as BTVI, HBO, Turner International India, and Star India. At Cosmos-Maya, Tata aims to leverage her wealth of knowledge and decades of expertise to drive the organisation’s next phase of growth and solidify the studio’s position as the foremost animation studio in Asia.

    Commenting on her appointment, Megha Tata said, “I am thrilled to start my new journey with Cosmos-Maya. I have always looked for challenging yet exciting opportunities in my career, and animation is one such sector that poses immense growth potential. Cosmos-Maya has been at the forefront of the industry in India and Asia, and I look forward to working closely with the senior leadership team to create a vigorous growth path for the company.”

    Cosmos-Maya founder and managing director Ketan Mehta said, “I am thrilled and excited to welcome Megha to the Cosmos-Maya family. I look forward to working with her to build on top of Cosmos-Maya’s legacy and take our company to new heights.”

    NewQuest Capital Partners—a GP solutions specialist and an investor in Cosmos-Maya managing director Sachin Khandelwal also commented on the appointment, “Having created several highly acclaimed animation shows as one of the leading kids-focussed animation companies in India and Asia, Cosmos-Maya is well positioned to further cement its dominance and unlock new growth opportunities with Megha’s deep experience with broadcasters and in the overall media and entertainment industry.”

  • Netflix to buy Australian animation studio Animal Logic

    Netflix to buy Australian animation studio Animal Logic

    Mumbai: Netflix on Wednesday announced its plans to acquire Australian animation studio Animal Logic. The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to close later this year.

    The acquisition will support Netflix’s ambitious animated film slate, building on films such as the Academy Award-nominated “Over The Moon,” the Academy Award-nominated “Klaus” and the recently released “The Sea Beast.”

    Animal Logic has been producing award-winning designs, visual effects and animation for over 30 years. Headquartered in Sydney, Animal Logic set up a second studio in Vancouver, Canada in 2015 and has worked on Hollywood blockbusters including “Happy Feet,” “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole,” “The LEGO Movies” and “Peter Rabbit” 1 and 2, alongside a catalogue of amazing visual effects work including “The Matrix,” “Moulin Rouge!,” “300” and “The Great Gatsby.”

    The announcement builds on an already strong partnership between the two companies, with a full slate of films across Animal Logic’s Sydney and Vancouver studios, including “The Magician’s Elephant,” directed by Wendy Rogers, and the recently announced “The Shrinking of the Treehorns,” directed by Ron Howard, for Netflix.

    “Netflix has been investing in animation over the past few years and this furthers our commitment to building a world-class animation studio,” said Netflix vice president of studio operations Amy Reinhard. “Animal Logic is a leading animation studio with innovative technology that will strengthen our existing business and increase our long-term capacity in the animation space, so that we can better entertain our members around the world.”

    Working with Animal Logic will accelerate the buildout of Netflix’s end-to-end animation production capabilities. The Animal Logic and Netflix Animation teams together will create a global creative production team and an animation studio that will produce some of Netflix’s largest animated film titles. Netflix will continue to work with many other studios around the world for animated series and film needs.

    Led by CEO and co-founder Zareh Nalbandian, the Animal Logic teams and leadership will remain operating under the Animal Logic brand and will fulfil production of existing and ongoing commitments and continue to collaborate and work with longstanding studio partners.

    “After 30 years of producing great work with great people, this is the perfect next chapter for Animal Logic,” said Nalbandian. “Our values and aspirations could not be more aligned with Netflix, in working with diverse content makers, producing innovative and engaging stories for audiences around the world. Our collective experience and talent will open new doors for all our teams and will empower a new level of creativity in animation.”

    “The strength of our partnership across a number of projects is testament to our shared creative vision,” said Animal Logic COO Sharon Taylor. “Solidifying our future together felt like a mutually beneficial, natural progression, and I am so excited to continue to build on our success together.”

  • QYou Media India launches animation channel The Q Kahaniyan

    QYou Media India launches animation channel The Q Kahaniyan

    Mumbai: Following the launch of The Q and Q Marathi, global media company QYou Media India on Tuesday announced the setting up of its digital exclusive animation channel – The Q Kahaniyan. With the tagline ‘Hatke Kisse, Datke Masti,’ the animated content channel will target young viewers between age group of 13 to 35 years.

    “The Q Kahaniyan is a category creator that bridges the need gap for entertaining, relatable animated stories and content for young adults in India. Echoing the network’s core proposition, it will showcase differentiated and high-quality alternative animated content that will cut across genres,” said the media company in a statement. 

    The channel will curate and bring forward stories from leading Indian and global animation studios and creators such as PM Toons, Digimonks, Utkal Cartoon World and Core Infotech. Shows such as “Nattu,” “Bakaiti,” “Anokhi Kahaniya,” “Daravni Kahaniya,” “Dilchasp Kahaniya” are sure to strike a chord with viewers and create a niche for themselves as well for animated content in the growing general entertainment category, the statement added. 

    “Globally, the interest in animated content is astonishing; in India however, the category and format are indexed and typically viewed from a kid’s lens,” remarked QYou Media India’s chief operating officer Krishna Menon. “Having experienced success with animation on The Q, we believe that there exists a strong demand for such content and it is only apt for us as a disruptive and differentiated brand to take a step forward and give such content a place and platform of its own.”

    “With The Q Kahaniyan, we are curating stories that are relevant, relatable and different from what is already available. We are certain of the channel’s success and hope to give animated content the limelight it truly deserves,” he further added.

    The Q Kahaniyan is currently available on connected TV and video-on-demand platforms including Samsung TV Plus, Mi, TCL, Cloudwalker, Jio TV, Jio TV Plus, MX Player, and Snapchat, among others.

  • Tom Jacomb takes charge as DNEG president, animation division

    Tom Jacomb takes charge as DNEG president, animation division

    Mumbai: Animation and VFX studio DNEG on Wednesday announced the promotion of Tom Jacomb as president of the animation division.

    Previously serving as managing director, Jacomb helped launch the feature animation division at DNEG in 2014. Based in London, he has guided the growth of the team to more than 500 employees across DNEG’s animation studios in London, Los Angeles, Montréal, and Mumbai. 

    “In his new role as president, Jacomb will oversee further worldwide investment and expansion of DNEG Animation, including expansion into Vancouver and the creation of up to 100 new animation roles in the city,” said the company in a statement.

    Jacomb’s promotion is effective concurrently with the appointment of five new senior members of DNEG Animation’s team and the studio’s expanding slate of new feature film and episodic animation productions.

    Freddy Chaleur and Yancy Lindquist have joined DNEG Animation’s team of VFX supervisors, which includes Philippe Denis, Archie Donato, and Taylor Moll; animation director Jay Boose joined the team’s animation leadership group, which includes Kapil Sharma, Troy Saliba, and Dave Lowry – all led by Ted Ty. The new hires are rounded out by the head of look development Sonja Burchard and producer Audrey Ford.  

    “Jacomb’s promotion and the onboarding of five new senior members of his team support our ambition for DNEG Animation to become one of the best and most highly regarded animation studios in the world,” said DNEG CEO Namit Malhotra. “Jacomb will continue to build a superlative global team and build upon the great successes.”

    “DNEG has long been known for its creative pedigree in visual effects, and I am incredibly proud of the opportunity to lead our amazing team and prove that DNEG can also excel in delivering the highest-quality animation projects,” said Tom Jacomb. “The team’s talents and hard work get the credit for our growth and the incredible projects that we are embarking on. Looking to the future, I am very pleased to welcome our new senior crew members, who will bolster DNEG Animation’s global capabilities with even more creativity, experience, and expertise.”

  • DNEG expands global footprint with new Toronto Studio

    DNEG expands global footprint with new Toronto Studio

    Mumbai: DNEG- visual effects (VFX) and animation studio for the creation of feature film, television and multiplatform content- has announced plans for increasing its Canada-based VFX and animation operations and talent pool.

    With surging worldwide demand for its content across all platforms, DNEG is planning a new studio in the Greater Toronto Area that will initially employ up to 200 people, including many new technology positions. It will also expand its existing Vancouver and Montreal offices, and add a new studio for its Feature Animation division in Vancouver.

    DNEG also has North American operations in Los Angeles. North American expansion and investment will bolster DENG’s leadership and multi-platform capabilities as a modern-day content production powerhouse for major Hollywood and independent studios and production companies, it said in a media statement.

    DNEG chairman and CEO Namit Malhotra said, “We are also continuing to build out our studios in Vancouver and Montreal to support our upcoming slate of VFX projects, and extending our highly successful Feature Animation team to Vancouver as they move into production on five new animation projects. Growth in our Canadian talent and capabilities will help us strategically align with the demands of the entertainment industry and seize upon our new growth initiatives and content creation opportunities.”

    The new Toronto studio will create up to 200 new jobs, initially in a remote-work capacity. Roles will encompass visual effects for film and episodic projects, feature animation, and technology positions. Opportunities will be posted at DNEG.com.

    DNEG Global CTO Paul Salvini added, “I’m excited that DNEG is bringing these new opportunities to the visual effects and technology communities of the Greater Toronto Area. This is a great chance for technologists working in AI, machine learning, UX and across a broad spectrum of technology areas to refocus their talents on helping to create incredible imagery for some of the world’s biggest feature films and episodic series. We are not fixed on candidates having previous film or media industry experience – we’re looking for passionate and curious technologists who are excited at the prospect of a new challenge.”

    DNEG will be creating up to 300 new roles across its Vancouver and Montreal offices, including up to 100 new positions in Vancouver for its Feature Animation team, to support their upcoming slate of animation projects. Opportunities will be posted at DNEG.com.

  • NewQuest buys out Emerald Media’s majority stake in Cosmos-Maya

    Mumbai: Indian animation major Cosmos-Maya on Monday announced that Hong Kong-based  NewQuest Capital Partners (NewQuest) has acquired a majority interest in it from Emerald Media, an investment platform backed by KKR. The company has not disclosed the terms of the transaction, but The Economic Times reported that the deal values the Ketan and Deepa Mehta promoted studio at $90 million.

    Having gained significant market share in India, the animation company is aggressively expanding its operations in the western markets producing several successful TV series, shows, and independent feature films for leading platforms in Europe and the US. The company has also become one of the largest providers of animated content to leading edtech players in India and the US.

    Said Ketan Mehta:  “Cosmos-Maya has had a phenomenal journey of 25 years in animation and has grown by leaps and bounds during this period. The partnership with Emerald Media heralded a strong growth era for us. I am very happy that we are now getting a partner in NewQuest. The partnership marks yet another important chapter in the global journey of our studio, which is poised for accelerated growth.”

    “Cosmos-Maya has been one of the most dynamic companies in this segment with a remarkable growth trajectory, ” said  NewQuest partner &  head of India &  southeast Asia Amit Gupta.  “With a portfolio of over 20 IPs and a highly talented team, we strongly believe that Cosmos-Maya is exceptionally well placed to consolidate its leadership position in the segment.”

    “We are privileged to have worked closely with Ketan and Anish (Mehta- the current CEO of Cosmos Maya)  over the years to support Cosmos-Maya’s journey in becoming a leading animation studio in India and the wider region,”  said  Emerald Media  MD Rajesh Kamat. “Emerald Media  has leveraged our industry expertise and the strength of our platform to help the company establish a solid foundation to expand its footprint in India and across the globe. Cosmos-Maya has shown a robust growth trajectory on the back of its creative and innovative IPs through the years, and we are confident that the company will continue its success in the future with NewQuest.”

    “This is a new and interesting chapter for us as we look at larger markets and newer challenges,”  said Anish Mehta. “Emerald Media has been a great support in our growth story and now this investment from another great investor like NewQuest is a testament to our market leadership and strong operating performance. We are excited to bring NewQuest on board as we embark on our next growth phase to become a fully integrated, global animation production and distribution company. Their experience, network, and industry knowledge will help supercharge our growth, organically and through strategic acquisitions.”

    GCA acted as an exclusive financial advisor to Cosmos-Maya and its shareholders. SNG & Partners and Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas acted as legal advisors, and EY and BDO acted as due diligence and transaction tax advisors.

    The Economic Times reported that Emerald Media’s exit gave it a 3X-4X ret return on its investment it made in Cosmos-Maya in 2018. Today the latter is producing anywhere between 18-20 animation shows for local and international broadcast networks; some of which are being co-produced.

  • Next Animation Studio appoints Duntemann as chief creative officer

    MUMBAI: Next Animation Studio (NAS) has announced that Matthew Duntemann has joined the company as Chief Creative Officer. Based at NAS headquarters in Taipei, Duntemann will report directly to the CEO Indra Suharjono.

    As Chief Creative Officer, Duntemann will direct and develop the nxTOONS platform, as well as oversee the development of TomoNews creative and all other creative projects for the studio. His appointment leads NAS into its next chapter of creating original animation properties, especially children’s animation.

    “Matthew brings his unique creative talent and an infectious amount of energy and momentum to the company,” Suharjono said. “With his success of developing the creative brands for Nickelodeon, we are in a stronger position to build and expand on our nxTOONS platform. He is a world-class talent and produces amazing work that entertains and inspires. I am thrilled to see him take this role and really grow the creative vision of NAS.”

    Duntemann joins NAS from Nickelodeon and Viacom, where he spent more than 20 years in creative roles across the organization. In his last position as SVP, Creative Director of Nickelodeon Brand Design, Duntemann oversaw the rebranding of the Nickelodeon network family (Nick, Nick Jr., Teennick, Nicktoons and Nick at Nite) across all screens; in the process assembling a world class team of art directors, designers, and animators. One key component of this work, known as the ONE Brand Project, was Duntemann’s lead role in directing the redesign of Nickelodeon’s new logo system — a cohesive visual identity that brought together many disparate parts that was implemented globally across all Nickelodeon brands.

    Duntemann’s first position at Viacom was Creative Director on the team that launched TV Land, where he oversaw on-air and off-air design. Later, as the Executive Design Director of Noggin, he developed this preschool brand’s iconic Hand of the Child, Eye of the Designer identity. Duntemann was also responsible for the creation of Moose and Zee, Noggin’s beloved host characters. Noggin’s brand identity that he shepherded still thrives today.

    Duntemann returns to Asia after having spent time in Hong Kong as part of the Star TV’s creative team that launched Channel V, a successful youth culture and music brand that rivaled MTV Asia. It was at Star TV that he oversaw a large, award-winning creative team with satellite offices in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Mumbai. He led design, scripting, and production of show packaging, on-air promotions, and interstitials produced in multiple languages and broadcast to 56 countries.

    Early in his career, Duntemann worked for CBS News before joining the studio Caesar Video as a designer/art director, providing creative leadership for on-air projects for VH1, Nickelodeon, ABC News, MTV, Cartoon Network, CBS Daytime, ABC Daytime, and Turner Classic Movies, among others. Projects include working on many high-profile commercials, music videos and documentaries, as well as live-action and animated short-form entertainment.

    Duntemann has received numerous awards during his multifaceted career, including several Emmys for his campaigns at Viacom, Webby Awards, 4A Hong Kong Advertising Awards and awards from AIGA, American Typography, American Illustration Art Directors Club, One Show, Promax/BDA, and many more.

  • WWE teams with Film Roman for adult animated comedy

    WWE teams with Film Roman for adult animated comedy

    MUMBAI: WWE Studios and Film Roman are going to co-finance and co-produce up to 13 three-minute webisodes of a new adult animated series, Camp WWE.

     

    Film Roman is the animation studio behind The Simpsons and King of the Hill. It will now help to bring to life an animated comedy about what WWE Superstars were like as kids. Mike Benson of Entourage and The Bernie Mac Show will script the series.

     

    “Film Roman has been involved with some of the most well-known and humorous animated series,” said WWE Studios president Michael Luisi. “They are the perfect partners for WWE Studios to capture our Superstars in a truly unique and fun way.”

     

    “Camp WWE is a new and exciting project with a great creative team for Film Roman to be working on with WWE Studios and we are very bullish on its prospects for success. With a combination of their unique personalities, distinctive characteristics and huge built-in loyal fan base, WWE Superstars make for ideal animation subjects in Camp WWE,” added Film Roman GM Dana Booton. “We are very pleased to be working with WWE Studios and hope that it will begin a mutually beneficial, long-term business relationship.”