Technicolor Signs Deal for ‘The Deep’ 4-D Immersive Experience
Technicolor signed SimEX-Iwerks Entertainment to create a 4-D theatrical experience based on the animated adventure series, The Deep, which will premiere globally in spring 2018.
The new 4-D event, The Deep: Mystery of the Ancient Amulet, is a 12-minute immersive 3-D viewing experience, featuring exclusive 3-D CG animation, an original storyline, and special effects (vibrating seats, water spraying, bubbles, and more). The in-theater experience will be available at zoos, theme parks, aquariums, and other venues.
The storyline continues the underwater adventures of the Nekton family, a team of explorers that use state-of-the-art technology to explore the depths of the oceans. When the family comes into possession of a mysterious amulet from a black market dealer, they search the ocean for answers.
Steven Wendland, vice-president of animation and creative head, Technicolor Creative Development, is the creative lead serving as director and executive producer, with Technicolor Animation providing the 3-D CG animation; A Stark Production on board for scripts, storyboards, and music; and DHX Media contributing post-production sound design and mix.
Zoonicorn Enters Distribution Deal with Future Today
Zoonicorn LLC has signed an agreement with Future Today, a video technology and distribution company that helps content creators distribute and monetize their content on the internet, mobile devices, and connected television platforms.
Zoonicorn videos will air On Demand on HappyKids.tv, an internet-based channel of Future Today that offers entertainment and education to children of all ages with music, stories, and activity guides delivered to 20 million homes.
Recently reaching 3.2 million views on YouTube, Zoonicorn’s five music videos will now be available On Demand across multiple platforms, including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Sony, Google TV, Kindle Fire, Nook, Windows 8 and Android phones and tablets.
Four videos introduce children to the four main Zoonicorn characters and a fifth video explores the wonders of the Zoonicorn universe, or Zooniverse, where all of the characters sing about their home. All music videos use original music and lyrics.
Inventor Colin Furze Gets YouTube Red Series
YouTube star Colin Furze has teamed with YouTube Red for a new digital series called Furze World Wonders. The series debuts September 28 and follows Furze, an “extreme inventor” who has garnered 5 million subscribers on his own YouTube channel, as he puts his talents to use for others. Whether helping a brother and sister achieve a Guinness World Record title for largest water rocket or creating a battle barge for a family to even the score in a water fight, each episode features new creations from the inventor.
Furze also debuted his first book, This Book Isn’t Safe, on September 12. The book was published by Penguin Random House.
Zuru, Tangle Creations Enter Agreement
Zuru partners with inventor and sculpture Richard Zawitz to relaunch Tangle Creations’ flagship designs. A comprehensive marketing campaign will kick off in October to support the line.
Tangles are fidget toys/puzzles that feature interconnecting links on a 90-degree curve that click together and pivot at each joint to form twisty and bendable creations, which have no beginning or end.
The first version of Tangles was launched in 1981 by Zawitz and more than 120 million Tangle units have been sold in more than 40 countries worldwide since then.
Zuru’s full range of product will include Tangle links in a variety of colors and a wide assortment of patterns and textures.
Stomp School Picture Book Heads to Small Screen
London-based Awesome Media & Entertainment, the company founded by Jeff Norton and Cloth Cat Animation entered an agreement to co-develop the book property Stomp School for television. The deal was brokered by Industry Media.
Stomp School is the debut picture book from author and writer-producer Jeff Norton. It is illustrated by Leo Antolini and was published in August 2017 by Caterpillar Books (an imprint of Little Tiger Press).
The book stars Rikki, a little kaiju who just loves to build things. Kaiju is a Japanese word that has come to mean “giant monster.” Find out what happens on his first day at Stomp School, where he is in for a few surprises. Inspired by Jeff’s own challenges of childcare for his son, the storyline is aimed at today’s parents with universal themes of creativity and destruction.