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Manchester Animation Festival Bans Films Made With GenAI, Names ‘In Waves’ Best Feature
MAF’s AI ban starts with the 2027 call for entries. Mamuka Tkeshelashvili’s ‘When the Sea Was Calm’ won the Oscar-qualifying short film award.
UK
‘The Hiring Bias Is Endemic’: Animation Industry’s Diversity Problem Debated At MAF
Rico Johnson-Sinclair, Amy Ashton, and Michael Morgan discuss systemic hiring bias, career barriers, and representation at Manchester Animation Festival.
2027 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘Pigeons’ Director Amos Sussigan
Sussigan discusses turning fears about AI and obsolescence into an animated pigeon documentary, made by 45 artists on almost no budget.
British Animation Awards To Return In 2028 Under New Leadership
Tracy Shaw and Anna Lord take the helm as the BAAs prepare new categories, including opportunities for international animation to compete.
Loyd Price, Aardman Animator Who Helped Lay The Foundation For Its Feature Animation Team, Dies
From Gromit’s silent performances to the artists he trained and championed, Price helped shape the craft and culture of Aardman’s feature animation.
2027 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘Daughters Of The Late Colonel’ Director Lizzy Hobbs
Two sisters reconsider life after their overbearing father’s death in an ink-and-paint adaptation of Katherine Mansfield’s story, full of warmth and humor.
Manchester Animation Festival Selects Seven Projects For New UK Feature Development Lab
The BFI-backed program will give seven UK animated features seven months of development support, mentorship, and industry training.
‘Shaun The Sheep’ Filmmakers On Kid-Friendly Scares And Bringing Halloween To Mossy Bottom
Directors Steve Cox and Matthew Walker discuss spooky stop-motion, gothic lighting, and the film’s unusually fast Aardman production.
‘Doctor Who’ Heads to CBeebies With Dominic Minns Directing Preschool Spinoff
With the future of the main ‘Doctor Who’ series currently in question, the BBC is moving ahead with a very different incarnation of the iconic franchise.
Hasbro Prevails In Long-Running ‘Peppa Pig’ Copyright Case Against Vietnam’s ‘Wolfoo’
A London court ordered ‘Wolfoo’ videos removed from online platforms after finding widespread use of audio taken directly from ‘Peppa Pig.’
Manchester Animation Festival Launches U.K.’s First Feature Animation Market Accelerator
Six U.K. projects will receive paid mentorship, market training, and international access for animated features in development.
‘Shaun The Sheep: The Beast Of Mossy Bottom’ Gets New Trailer
Aardman’s upcoming stop-motion feature from Steve Cox and Matthew Walker sends Shaun into a monster-filled mystery timed to Halloween season.
Blink Industries And Nick Mohammed Team Up For Animated Series ‘The Young Magicians’
Blink Industries and BBC Studios Kids & Family are developing a mystery-filled animated adaptation of Mohammed’s magic-themed novels.
Aardman Turns 50, But Its Annecy Presentation Was All About The Future
New looks at ‘Let’s Go Timmy,’ ‘Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom,’ and ‘Danger Delilah’ headlined Aardman’s Annecy event.
Aardman Shares First Look, Deatils For ‘Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures Of Sirfetch’d And Pichu’
Annecy attendees got an early look at never-before-seen footage, with new details revealing a Galar-set adventure led by Sirfetch’d and Pichu.
Mackinnon & Saunders, Nihil Declarandum Team On Tiffany Kimmel’s Retro-Futurist, Stop-Motion Feature ‘Heads’
The adult-oriented fantasy is set in a dystopian Manchester and is being billed as one of the largest-ever animated productions from the city.
BBC Studios, Kadokawa Developing Live-Action ‘Kiki’s Delivery Service’ Series Based On Original Novels
Produced with Wheelhouse, the 10-episode fantasy project, unrelated to the Ghibli classic, will follow young witch Kiki’s journey to Koriko.
Moth Studio Developing Animated Adaptation Of Million-Selling Kids’ Book ‘The Storm Whale’
BAFTA-nominated Moth Studio will present its 30-minute adaptation of Benji Davies’ beloved picture book at Annecy’s MIFA next week.
Aardman’s Peter Lord, David Sproxton Knighted In King’s Birthday Honours, Pop Paper City Creator Georgina Hurcombe Awarded MBE
The King’s Birthday Honours recognize animation leaders Peter Lord, David Sproxton, and Georgina Hurcombe for their industry contributions.
Wallace, Gromit, Shaun, Morph, And Feathers McGraw Land Commemorative 50p Royal Mint Coin
To celebrate the Bristol-based studio’s 50th anniversary, the Royal Mint has put some of its most iconic characters on a 50p coin.