1996 PRODUCTION CLIPS eThe Real Adventures of Jonny Quest eWorld Premiere Toons eDexter’s Laboratory eCave Kids . eThe New Adventures of Captain Planet- 1996 “THE REAL ADVENTURES OF JONNY QUEST” CLIPSLICENSING TODAY WORLDWIDE WINTER 1996 EUROPEAN AGENTS APPOINTED FOR JONNY QUEST amet Broscsings primary ier tninment propery for 19967 = The, ben ign tor enn Eup representa tnt indding lily, Grove and Turkey by CCE white CPL have wgned to dle the UK Targeong children aged six to twelve, The el Advenetes of Jonnv Ques ines ral sGventur in courts the wosld Over with the possi otered by Ihe peal! une sere et viral rally. Thw nev series is ‘ed on en srimaned seis wach originally dmnehed in 964. EEC Television arereprte to hav taken the series and willbe srenig Jonny Quest frm September, Each episode wil be shown once ie § teeeday alteaoon tre coonien Sunay. In addision. The Cartoon Network ‘il give the propery i ll supperc Uicemves alendy in place include Galo as rnter toy liens with product distbuted in the Uk by Toy Option In adion Virgin have signed for che CD-Rom, Micogames have signed or LED games, Panini haw signed fr shen and atk Hore fr coms.KIDSCREEN JANUARY 1996 What's old is new again: A trend, or simply respite? hey say there is no going back, but a large number of producers id seem to be uying ~ Hanna-Barbera with Jonny Quest, Cinar with Little Lulu and Film Roman with Felix the Cat, for example Whether it can be chalked up to tweaking the nostalgic nerves of the baby boom parents or a serious lack of new ideas, new incamations of old shows seem to be happening with greater frequency. Is it the start of a uend or simply a respite until the creative juices start flowing again? Dan DIDio, Executive Director of Children’s Entertainment, ABC "We ran George of the langle for eight wees. I's dnysterical bur the kids didnt grab omto it, It wes fone of our lowest rated shows, even though we ‘promoted it as much as any of our other shows Kids level of sophistication is so much Sreater than it was in the sos and seventies ‘when chose shows were originally made.” Peter Schmid, Saban Entertainment “Ids very difficult to come up with anew ides season after season. and when you're in my age group and you kind of remember Felix the Carand you kind of remember X Men i's eas- ier to get a marketing handle on it beeause ‘you were exposed to it as a kid, Bus the shows defintely have to be updated. Today's kids are smart. | realize they probably don't remember Felix the Cat but all they have t0 hear from their parents is, saw this when was a kid’ and it's not coo! anymore. It's got to be made specifically for thers.” Russ Barry, Turner Program Services Think i there is equity in a show, then ves. it makes sense to ty to capitalize on that. Jonny Quest is a Hanna-Barbera show that will be released in '96 on cable. UIi- mately, we will probably get involved, But the decision was made that it was a charac- ter and 2 series that had sirong enough recognition that rather than design some- thing new we could exploit what was already there . .. and just update it and ‘make it more contemporary.” Norma Denys, Descle Productions “Theres an awl lot of nostalgia, At the moment shows change every six months, s0 nobody can get attached to any particular one. ‘The tendency is t0 go back to old shows because you know them and they mean something and you areatached to them.” RBRANDWEEK JANUARY 29, 1996 Hut, Mills Join Quest By Karen Benezra taza Hut, General Mil, Galood Toys and Sara Lee's Hanes unit are part ering for an inal wave of pro- ‘motional and licensing activities behing Turner Home Enea ‘ent's ITTV’senes, The Real Adventures of Jonny Pizza Hut breaks an ei Week kids meal effort in late ‘August with character prem ums, supported by TV. General Mills wil sate an in-pack offer ‘on milions of baxes of is Big G cereals. Beverage and snack partners are also expected. “Come September, every kid in america will have been reached by some promotional element." said Anne Adriance, ‘svp and general manager of domestic licensing at Turner. The “vinual world” animated strip, with 65 hall-hour episodes Produced by Hanna-Barbera. 1s, set to alt 21 times a week on ‘TES_INTand the Cartoon Net work.The heavy commitment has Lusner shooting for extend- relationships to sustain long: {erm brand identi. iwesaction Quest theatrical release 1s expected in 1987, A growing lis! of licensees includes: Galoob's action fi lures, vehicles and playset Microgames of America’s hand. held toys; Hanes’ acuvewear and ‘eshinls for boys ang men and Dark Horse comics, .JAN-FEB 1996 NEU YORK, WY I-HONTHLY COMICS SCENE JAN-FEB, 1996 BuR SOT AST = Say The Other voices include Teresa Saldana as Bolage, Olivia White as Sciontist 426, Victor Love as World Leader, Hector Elizondo as Atacama and Robert Ito as Scientist 427 The film was written by David Bennett Corren and J. Larry Carroll, based on a story by producer/director Marlo Piluso, ‘TNT will premiere Jonny Quest vs. the Cyber Insects at 7 pan. EST on Sunday, November 19, followed by December 1. Paulsen as Hadji (will he Jonny Gets Virtual: Com- pronounce “Sim sim, salla Pilpyrs- to say farewell to felony Quest,as you kno [Eau That's because Tutrer “Efftertainmont and Hanna, Bitbera Cartoons arelaunch jing a revised version next year with new designs, new iiysic and yes, now voices But first, TNT will air a 5 tio-hour TV movie of Jonny [inthis “last” appearance as San-tt-yearold, Its a sequel to Jonity’s Golden Quest, the jpS0emimute TV movie. that g pemioted in April 1993.4 ,Otiginally Jonny's Global: ‘{Qbestions, tho ttle changed = (Haponnvs Global Impact. Saud now it Jonny Quest vs 3 EE Giher eae iiually made more than a fp and scheduled oar last fall to precede tho now { Qhest series—but produc-3| ftigh problems delayed the & fey Quest until 1990. Thus] HE TV movie’ broadcasts Was delayed aswell, “iin Gyber Insecis, Jonny | & (Kevin Michaels) Pose 103] = {galt space forth fst ime." Ths Rol adventures of Jany Ques! gin WOE AW fjegerct-fiend Dr. Zin Ootttey —preiminncy concept h ooo eee he es Eton threatens humanity [FAA ‘voatersitering satel. bim cotrety this time?), ing your way nox fal ie The {FANGS andlor Sones Re: nd Anndl MeAfo sa Roce’ fel Advattures af omee F ‘llsing their roles are_Don, daughter Jessie. A surprise “Duese-whioh aM epee gy ‘Massck as Dz Bonton Quost guest str is ‘Tin Matheson, “Hitee week on treo Rare Granville: the orignal Jonny Quest as uotwogks TNT, THS and the idiguard tHo‘computen DAG. Guten Network, Hones ag Bandit, Sonny SMEE Dison. as “be . sien Barbera is’ cufrant Fad Scing 65" ceaaee ‘studios in three’ cont: ented the Siti) HLB handles the Writ. ‘ing, storyboarding and 5 designs. In’ Japan, Pacific Anima tion Corporation uti. lizes computer technology to ‘enhance lighting, mak cial FX and. camer uN ment. In. France, “Toea's Factory adds FX and digital: ly colors the episodes: 3% ‘The new series has Joany and his Indian pal Hadji a5 teens, with Race Bannon's daughter Jessie " adding fomale companionship. Sto ries will focus more on these characters and less ot De Quest and Race, but all will continue facing «danger around the world if whats! described as “an ev mystery-adventure.”, Quest tearm will tako!on' sie pemnatural occurrences Both in the seal world and inthe; virial reality domaibeige, *“Questwor! VE sont tn om aad perpowers to combat Vets “supematural’”. evil-doers Sia ie nae fay tn Seal Patrick is Race Bannan Jen @ with Messick providing Peter Lawrence ‘and pold (SWAT Kats), Michel? Michael Rann, Ben Schw; pee Snioractive and elon entseet ‘Quest from 1964. ‘with’ a. special box ely Stave Rad ‘Whiere There's a Quest; {Thei's Danger: Quest fans #gotapleasent surprise wher, on September 16, Freake [zoidit aired on irreverent_ se, “Toby Danger." Written by The Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries story editor Tom Minton, it featured Don IMessick {the original Dz. Quest) supplying the voice [of DE Vernon Danger, Scott sMeniille (the 1967 Jonny 1H): voicing Danger's son > Bs sSGonny Cranylle se (the 1987 Race ‘Bagfon) a bodyguare Dash |OPepper. Adding to the par- ‘Giyzbimilar music, identical ‘sound effects and villains screaming “Aieeeee!” © NDe Danger is sort of an coverly-funded fool, and he comes olf like Hugh Beau mont spouting misguided homilies sbout science, He's ‘hopelessly out of control,” Minton says. “He always Rea, well, but he as adopted a daughter because hhe melted her home town by accident. Sandro [Mary Scheer is the glue that holds ‘vorything together when Dr. Danger's science fails. ° “Dash O'Pepper is the én- foreer. He's not by any means the brains. And Toby is very, very impressionable. Wh ever Dash does, he'll gladly emulate.” Frank Welker voices Fred the Guard, ond Jim Cum- mings is the robot Semicon- ductor. “We parody every bad 1980s action/adventure gopaant’ which all sige iBerere setolved. by. the’ throwing of crates or*bar- role! So, Das tosses abarel saying, "Heads up, you heo- then! monkeys!” This echoos line fromthe original in which Race Ban- on Ghallenges a tube of South American Indians in Puputof te Ponoe' Al COMICS SCENE JAN-FEB, 1996 RAE you lenin aragos ny eo look at Aliso, * ‘After Warner Bros, fin- ished the Syst 65 half-hours of Aningoniacs, the studio developed amumerous pilot shorts for potential ser ‘Among them was "Toby Minton recalls, “Several magutie went by afer he Plena dr oly cise aninenioes, tone potter a some git at ving Wa ting down in font ofthe TV copies Antose bow sy Beals a We wea talk and fork ay ik wa Baaly flared becaee wes to much of ¢ depen Iie Bom he word ofa ally dh" have any pee oa Nis soy "teak Bebaine eeoredy face in January 1995), and came nda coment dsding rue and Toby Deng Se eae Scie drat "Wkeniiwat Pod, had a longer title sequence thin i they cleat tne onto beck 22 mine Steet we kad ely eg Ie bd an pogo a was cut, that began with Bach nti ao ot moves skiing with the islan Ei byte ode: The foaeoeh eat noe ing an antae of aioe man arse ie own iske Mead Originally a Toby and Dash climbed dove the ald Bach tated: Sanger "Where to font, Dacor Ad Dr ase ter ignoring ncn gn folning the way to tse Bot anova aut tumpapnscanindien, Feet Hwee od ihn seat the soy and flows the mint macoe cro atthe Hoover Bak Pr Mi did Toby’ a caer Iguae cnate “Deng Ways ge ar we coe Minton sabes tac tn Bien Chin ida ine eb on the host Bias and t hinds hoon. at. Ruby Spar "Doug was there Te poetd to hima tan Andestod is sens. Bric Radomshi erected it, and Eric is very good at ‘making sure things get fol- Towed, making’ ste 1g tenecinaton ocetogey Aton followed eve clove es pessble 8 IE sriginl Doug Wildy. stl Tce ac el ae itis We had ono ound 8 retaken, But dere tne: iy mer _ wer)ohort produ sony the shor a had. Luckily. 4 ‘8 point of musical dep by. Freakazoid sc ae “We showed him the. inal Jonny. Quest, an Anew: exoctly «what meant,” Minton’ says.” Closést thing to that music i the: Meynard Ferguson ja band, Richard had this 30-piece orchea recorded it at the same st dio Carl Stalling us deere on ‘haboen raves. Just amazing. Heap to everen Sy fpllfe, except for perhaps [Eike prang ang Bots ‘apked. We knew it would eee feet people out. there {who had seen Jonny Ques. they were all astonished that it got such a huge reac- tion." For those who missed it, ‘Toby Danger". willbe ‘opeating on Freakazoid!, ‘which airs Saturday morn ings on the WB network, {s D'obt: Last issue I said Dishey was the only anima- {tion studio that offered its Sitists a. 401k retirement plan, It’s the only union stu- dig) that does that. . Film Roman, a non-union shop, offers its employees a 401k 1a Barbera Raises its geet is fall the Cartoon rork will air two now from its What a Gar. easy Premiere Toons Pheeam, promioring ot 7 he belore Mr Spims The. ie lovginber 5: “Mina and int,” by Rob Renzeti, fs Mark Hamill as the 3t, whose “biting sched- fiend by ia ee or (jeff Bennett)—is Happoered by an evening of ftea:partios and hide & seek iid © charming sve year old nanied Mina’ (Ashley fics aneey Be i cont : "Mom: Gandi Milo; Ded: DB. Baker; Cerberus; Jaff Harnell., tas Thorn - sert to, California, Boid (Thempson) picks up hitehe hiker: Woint (Toms Fah} ‘Aer a cap wreck, oid soon eenee if a a nprsel “Originally ‘sched lk. for Nowembar ain Wetatore wih tontood Me shown early next year CGarrently in production; Ralph Bakshi’ “Tals of the City” and. “Baby Call -Ma"are in the “Unkering” stage. Bakshi hos a five-short deal with the World Pro- igre Toons program, “The Worm” (a Bddie Fitzgerald. Paranoid Johnny Worm (Pat Pinney) seeks vengeance upon those who would step upon him. Sally: Mary Gross. “Pizza Boy" (formerly “Pizza Jerk"), by Rob Alvarez, The Pizza Boy (Gary imo has to deliver 3 pizza to the Arctic Circle five minutes. Dad: Phillip Hayes; Stewardess/Female Eskimo: Candi Milo; Eskimo/Guard/Cator: Cummings: Beat/Dog/ Priest Gregg Berger. loo's Gang." by Mike Miloand Hey Mlaughtse Bloo the dog dreams up a pirate adventure “for his canine chums. Simon/ Cat{#1/Thuck Driver: Nick Jame- Son; Bloo/Man/Cat #2; Berg: er, Stinky/ElmolBloo's Owner: ‘Welker, Scully: Mike Milo, ‘Johnny Bravo and the Aten Women.” oy Var Sutbies Hunky . Johnny Bravo (Bennett) ‘visits an {sland of gongeous women Christopher: David L. Lan: ‘der, Melissa: Brenda. Vice ‘caro; Narrator/Captain/Man Pertible and Butch ‘Animators: Pastiblg and Alvarez; Background layout: fartbleant Hompsoa odunk Possum in:*One sipebnyond directed by Joe Orantia; written by Oran {ia and Elizabeth Stoneci- per. Simpleton_ Podunk Possum (Denver Pyle) gels duped into baying a broken down chicken coop com- plete with some paranoid Ehickens, only to find that the countryside is crawling with Feds, ghosts and aliens. Major Portions: Mays Nutter; Alien #1 and. #2/Fed ‘Agent/Cop: Berger: Winona: Kath Sout. “Awfully Lucky." ereated anid directed by David Doi (producer, SWAT Kats). Luthor (im Cummings), a Jerk, takes possession of the "Paradox Pear.” This black- andewhite peat! bestows its ‘owner with extra good luck Unfortunately, this is fol lowed by extra bad luck. Chietfexplorers #1 & #2: Cummings: Old Man/ Chau feus/Cook: Jameson; Fisher rman/Doctor/Husbana: Adler Natuce/Sultry Woman: Nancy Linas. "Sledgehammer _O'Pos- sum_[i; What's Going om Back There?" by Pat Ventura, i which he’ oyasum, i ‘caught in a winter storm an takes shelter in a mailbo ‘which upsets hel, the mail Carrie: After somo contro.) versy with the fist "Sledge ‘haniméit hort, th fl up~ finished.” product it was already close to COMICS SCENE JAN-FEB, 1996 uyeMiko Welling; Blan by Michel Hartman; “The Gre by John Dilworth; = and Ted,” by John Ric ““Zoonatiks,”. _ by,:. Joey. Ahlbum;‘ oh the first. "breakout Hanns-Barbera's World Pxé ‘Baie groups, 1-800 phon lines, America Online:reacy ‘don and consumer prom tons during the summer thet fnchided a 10-city “Dive-a Theater” four and taveling” Gaol Toons Mobile.” This year, “Dexier's Laboratory” Wes honored with an Emmy ‘Award nomination, only to bo beaten by The Simpsons. Boy genius Dexter was created by first-time director Genndy Tartakovsky, # 25- aE peatuate trom Galas who hes alse werked on? Stupid Dogs, The Citi, Shag Ton Adventures and Batman: The Animated Series, Hanne-Barbors's resident, Fred Seibert, is areercting aaeavalGy, os Rie studio's new star tafent, {unlike rival studios who {mother their artists in eor- porate anonymity | dolighted with, Tariakovsky. “they're allowing him a spin- ‘off series that won't be tested ‘as a'solo short. Dial “MM” for Monkau” sandwiched 2 ‘otwroen two seven-minute ‘Dexter cartoons, Monkey is Star chimp (voiced by-— Whe elge—frank Welkes, Maulnpes with tuperpowees ta'eave the world from such wyllains as Macho Man Urata “ands Sag Monkey was created by far Ce ie uecactat ‘Powenpuff Girks) an uber Secret Secret If its popular enough, -Desters Laborstory may oxpand To a weekday sti for 1007. ao Now in Bookstores: tn October, Hyperion released The Mhusion of Lif, a ropint of the 1904 edition writen {by oo i eye sndary supervising anime. lips Preck Thomas and Ollie Johnston, fe has boon tut of print for more than five years, and those forts hate to find scopy have had to pay up to $800 for it Why ts considered to be a key resource for students of tlation and Disnoy fos. ‘The 576-page hardback is Toodod with hundreds. of black-and-white and color Hstrations and. photos, with text describing prac Cally every facet of produc: fig an salted estoy ieney, including develop- ment of character, story msi, special FX and the eater patinent This lane ips be ge fo. 360. = Disney's Toys for Christ- ina doy So wen ids aren't around to la with them? "They come te Wifomot lest, they do in Dis nays oy Sion « comedy. tdventure. created. and directed by ohn Lasseter, ‘The studio call this tho frst fullongth feature. created wlth, Somugaleeganersted nimation Ws alse te fot of a three-picture deal be- tween Wail Disney Feature ‘Animation and. Northern Galore based Pixar They previously collaborated in ovelnping CAPS (Computer Assisted Faint System), for Sohich they won & special technteal Academy Arar 102 very toy fears that they’ bbs replaced by newer toys ‘Such is the case when a pull- string cowboy named Woody {volged by Tom Henks) is threatened by his owner's latest acquisition, action fig- ure Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen). To Woody's chagrin, six-year-old Andy ohh Morris) gives Buzd :more attention, and Buzz is liked by. their fellow toymates: Slinky Dog (im. Varney): hot-tempered Mr. -Potato’ Head (Don Rickles), insectire dinosaur Rox. (Wallass awn), stubborn pi bank Hamm ohn Ratzen: berger) and figurine lamp BO, Peep (Annie Potts), who happens to light up Woody's life. Meanwhile, Busz insists he's not a toy but a space, ranger just landed on. a alien planet, f ‘Woody tries to dispose of Buzz, but his plans backfire and they find themselves lost in the outside world, ‘They're forced to overlook thoit differences as they try to return to the safety of Andy's bedroom. slit Director Lasseter won att Oscar in 1988 for “Tin Toy,” and was nominated another in 1986 for ‘Luxe J" Toy Storys producers are Ralph J. Guggenheim and Bonnie Arnold, Randy New: man wrote and performed the film's score and thres songs. Based on an original story by Lasseter, Pete Doc- ter, Andrew Stanton and Joe Ranft, the screenplay was ‘written’ by Joss. Whedon, Stanton, Joel Cohen and Alex Sokolow. Look for a detailed article on Toy Story in STARLOG #221 and the movie in, theaters). this month. OF: ob lesLICSHSINE BoD YokR, He S/¥EAR 2L,000 FEBRUARY Iss6 Seppetsess "éwii8 Galoob Toys, Inc. has action and adventure in store for the coming year, as licensee for Malibu Comics’ Ultra- Force; Hanna-Riarbera's “The Real Adventures of Jonny Ques Abrams/Gentile Entertainment's “Dragon Flyz;” and George Lucas’ ‘Star Wars. Galoob’s UltraForee toys began shipping the first six of eight fig- ures in the initial line last December. Some limited-edition figures (5,000 apiece) were mixed into those shipments. “All- American Prime” (as opposed to plain Prime) is one of the collector's figures. The *96 ine of Ultra- Force will add four more styles and collector's figures with new decorations and black packaging to set them apart for 1996, ‘The comic-based toys ‘appeal to a broad range of buyers, from young, Fans of the animated TV show and comic to collectors, at mass market LICENSING BOOK FEBRUARY 1996 retail and in specialty stores. On Aug. 26 “The Real ve lonny Quest” ani- mated TV series debuts on TNT, TBS, and the Cartoon Network Hard on its heels follows the September launch of Galoob’s line of Quest toys. The Real World line features 3"ed-inch fully aniculated action fig- tures per blister pack, with accessories ‘The QuestWorld line ‘emphasizes extreme adventure, and pairs fone of the show’s characters with the ‘equipment for scuba diving, or moun- taineering, or other adventuring. The deluxe VR pack is “based on light.” says Larry Wiesler, vice president of marketing at Galoob. “The VR pack has transluscent fig- ures of about 4inches high, as well as translucent vehicles, pairing one person and one vehicle per pack Race Bannon may be packaged with his jet, or Jonny Quest with motorcycle. The Quest Rover, Lewis GALOOB Toys Has FLYERS FOR GIRLS AND Boys; PREPARES TO EMBARK ON “THE REAL ADVENTURES OF JONNY QUEST” Quest Subd, and QuestWorld Helicopter all come with a unique figure ‘The much-anticipated Dragon Flyz—a boy’s flying toy inspired by Sky Dancers—will ship in April ‘96 in limited markets because of limited availability at time of release. The domestic ship- ping of Dragon Flyz is scheduled for April; internationally shipping should begin shortly thereafter. Six dragons and six figures are paired in packs, with eight collectible fig- ures sold individually. The “Dragon Flyz” TV series from ‘Abrams/Gentile Entertainment and Gaumont Multimedia will hit the airwaves in Fal of 96, Perhaps the best-known of Galoob’s featured licenses at this year’s Toy Fair will be Star Wars. ‘The Star Wars Action Fleet, part ‘of the Miero Machines brand, was launched in December last year, introducing six vehicles scaled to Micro Machine-size. Four new styles will be added to this fine in 1996, as well as two playsets. ‘The Death Star and Ice Planet Hoth playsets both come with special battle-damaged vehicle and five articulated action figures Just over [-inch tall. Galoob also plans to introduce Battle Packs of smaller vehicles combined with three or four figures in blister packs, «KIDSCREEN MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 1996 cvscra TBEY Ell Raceonr Jonn Guest Amarketing model for future Turner properties by Bd Kirchdoerfer he quest has begun. ‘Turner Broadeasting plans to make The Real Adventures of Jonny ‘Quest the kids television event of 1996. “The company has invested some $40 million in production costs to create 65 half-hour episodes featuring film-qualicy animation techniques uncommon on cable television. The series will aira combined 21 times a week on TBS, TNT and Cartoon "Network beginning August 26, Jonny Quest isthe biggest compo- rate initiative to come out of the Turner's 1991 purchase of the Hanna-Barbera Studios” and they treating the launch akin to a major motion picture premiere launch. This initiative will serve as a model for integrated mar- keting for future Turner properties. A comprehensive licensing and promotional program, which includes a toy line from Lewis Galoob Toys, a fast food promotion with Pizza Hut and a packaged goods promotion, will coin cide with the series’ debut Quest was selected as the first series for the Turner marketing synergy for sever: al reasons Its the best Hanna-Barbera proper ty in the popular animated action-adventure genre; no otheranimated series on TV today features realistic children characters going on intricate life-like adventures; not only did research indicate hidden demand for the show, but Quest gets the second most calls on the Hanna-Barbera hot line (The Flintstones are first), according to Stephanie Sperber, executive director of marketing at Hanna-Bazbera, In the first quarter of 1994, Sperber was named to head a Jonny Quest task force com. prised of key play- ets from all Tusn ex divisions including ad sales, consumer products, licens- ing and market ing, production, promotions, educa tional services and intr. national, In the first meeting, each division discussed their business objec: tives and the time line needed io accomplish them. The decision was made to launch the series in the fll of 1996, ‘The new danna-Barhera series retains much of the scope of the original show that debuted on ABC prime time in September 1964, such as globe-trotting travel, taamwork and use of cutting-edge technology. But the production side decided to give Jonny Quest a nineties makeover. Jonny is now older (13 rather than 11) and a liule more butf. A new female character, Jessie, has been added to auract female viewers. Pehaps ‘most importantly the series is now told from the kids’ pointKIDSCREEN MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 1996 i) work together to be more successful, id-targeted media. The toy line will debut at launch and will be later backed by media for the Christmas season, The cereal promo: tion will hit at launch, supported with media and in-store displays to give Quest an immediate etal presence. In March, Cartoon Net work Video is launching digitally remastered episodes on five videos ofthe original 1964 Jonny Quest under the ttle Classic Jonny Quest. In October and November, a second packages! goods pro- motion begins If the series proves to be success, a live-action film produced by ‘Tumer Pictures will probably follow. Jonny Questis the top priority for Turner's kids business in 1996 and Sperber is confident she has a hit. “Research and testing shows that kids love it, Aside from that, i's a cool show. Ihope it will bea huge kids phenomena and that Jonny Quest toys become the must hhave products for kids.” In 1997-98, The Jewons are scheduled to get the “Quest” teatmentWORLD SCREEN NEWS FEBRUARY 1996 Qe MERRY-GO-ROUN t isn't hard to gain some real insights into the nature of the kids’ programming business these days. Just read the fine print. The fine ¢, thot i, at the bottom of trade ods pris for such shows as Hearst Enter- tainment’s new Flash Gordon animated series. It goes like this: Flash Gordon © 1995 Hearst Enter- tainment, Inc./King Features Syndicate, Inc. A Lacewood Prodictions/ Audiovisuel Dupuis-Carrere Television/France 3 Production in association with Media Toon. Home video license: Live Entertainment. Master toy license: Playmates. ‘Hearst has owned the Flash Gordon franchise since Gordon batled Emperor Ming on planet Mongo in the comics and ‘old movie serials, but what the fine print today shows is thatthe newest version is a truly international project aimed at a global market with key ancillary rights built in a year or so before the first episode hits the airwaves. ‘There is nothing new about a toy or ‘home video deal, but lately producers are striving to have the whole package in place worldwide before launching a new show, In other words, instead of playing a toy line off a hot television show, or vice versa, the show, the toy, the videogame, the home video and ‘often the CD-ROM are all trying to get offthe ground at once. “It's a necessity because the cost of the animation is so high,” says Tom Deviin, senior VP of international sales for Hearst Entertainment. “The big problem is that the license fees for cartoons don't radically change even By Bill Dunlap though the cost of producing a half- hour is anywhere from $300,000 to $400,000 on average. When you start, ‘making 26 of these, isa lot of money.” Getting all of one’s ducks in a row is especially important for smaller kidvid players. Brian Lacey, a veteran inter- national marketing ‘consultant now ‘working with 4Kids Productions on the liveaction WMAC Masters, notes that the ‘show—which premiered in September— now has home video deals in the US. and the UX. and a toy and videogame deal With Bandai Toys in Japan. *You have to cover all those bases,” Lacey says, “You have to have a lot of things working for you to cover those production costs.” He puts the per- episode cost of WMAC Masters at more than $300,000. “One can always point to examples of television shows that then become successful licensing properties and vice versa, but by and large they sort of hhappen in tandem,” Lacey says. “Its done in tandem now much more than before.” Interactive Kids Stan Golden, president of Saban International, says the multimedia approach is becoming a necessity in launching an expensive children’s program for both financial and pro- motional reasons. “To make a higt-profile, high-budgeted ani- rated series viable,” Golden says, “it needs to have some marquee value, some recognition, either by way of a comic book, a feature film or any way that is necessary to bring all the parties together” Golden notes that merchandise licen- sing and cross-pro- motion helps make the production ent- ity’s name more widely known, a la Disney and Hanna- Barbera. “You end up building viewer loyalty,” he says. “That becomes a strong device in launching program- ring worldwide.” The crosspromo- tion itself is becoming more important, too, “It used to be that you could create a srreat campaign just using TV advertising to promote a show.” Golden says. “The audience these days is so fragmented that if you are able to cross-promote using various media, you are able to target a much larger group. If there is a video, you're targeting @ certain segment. If there is a CD-ROM, you're targeting another. If you are able to create ‘campaigns around all of those media, you are creating an ad- vertising blitz in the market that will ‘guarantee your show is going to be heavily sampled.” Jon Miller, man- aging director of Nickelodeon Inter-national, says the multimedia approach is more of a long- term strategy than previous licensing deals, “What you're starting to see now is, people acquiring rights in a different way." he says. “Some major broadcasters, even some people who act as brokers, are acquiring not only rights to a show, but merchandising rights and video rights and so on that go with it, and they are doing so on a long- term basis, That for me is a new development in the industry. Before, people would zequire rights to 2 show for three or four years and that was it. Now you'll see people acquiring five- and 10- year rights and they want to include all those other rights as well” Revenues fora typical kids’ property— not a huge hit or a wildly popular toy line—are about 70 percent from television sales, according to Lacey, and about 30 percent from merchandise licensing. He notes that TV sales are pretty evenly spit between U.S. and overseas license fees, with overseas rising as high as 60 percent in some cases. To better accomplish these simul- taneous launches of shows, toys, video games and CD-ROMs, a handful of animation companies have set up new multimedia entities. Mare du Pontavice, head of newly formed Gaumont Multi- media, points out that television sales can barely cover production costs today. “Without a strong toy line, merch- andising, video, etc, there is no way you can make a profit,” he says. ‘Without merchandising there is no point to doing those kinds of shows.” Canada’s Alliance Communications has a similar story. Jean Michel Ciszewski, VP of European TV sales for Alliance, says the company has just created Alliance Multimedia to do series production and oversee the merchandising, music and all the other licensing. Beast Wars, which Alliance WORLD SCREEN NEWS FEBRUARY 1996 launched at NATPE, already has a toy line with Hasbro. “The more expensive a show is, the more you need to have this type of financing,” Ciszewski says. Supply-Side Toons Beyond the cost of production, the rush to license is driven by increased production of kids’ programming around the world, That supply is being driven by more distributors getting into the kids’ business, not by huge new audiences. The result is greater local competition ancl a more fragmented audience, which prompts producers to look for better ‘ways to attract viewers. ‘Merchandise licenses bring in cash, but they also help hype new shows. Since 1994, Bohbot International has coor- dinated international sales and merch- andise licensing out of its Paris office. Nadia Nardonnet, senior VP and managing director, says site’ co- ordination is the key to success. “All our shows are backed up by strong master toy license fee,” Nardonnet says. “My strategy is to have a.hig synergy between TV sales and merchandising. This is the key to success. You have to do everything with ‘2 common strategy. When we sign a TV sale, we must be sure the products will be on the market when the series launches. If not, you lose your ‘merchandising. You must have a very planned and organized business.” Lacey counts some 45 syndicated kids’ shows and another 30 or 40 network programs currently airing in the US. “How do you establish any level of critical mass appeal for your property?” he asks. “That's why merchandise licensing is helpful. It's another marketing device that raises the level of awareness for kids. I they get into the videogames, they might cross over and get into the television series, or vice versa.” The Bulls Still Rule The good news for program pro- ducers is that no one is suggesting that the booming worldwide demand for children's programming is slacking oft “The kids’ program business is still booming,” Lacey says, “and if you have high quality, you're in big demand because you not only will get good. prices, you will get all windows—a pay ‘TV window if you have the appropriate property, terrestrial TV, cable/satellte ‘TV. You cover al the windows.” Rick Pack, president and CEO of ‘Action Media Group, says the demand is definitely strong. “There is sill a voracious need for animation overseas," he says. ‘The foreign marketplace for animation just continues to grow and is a very vital area for anyone who wants to be in the production business. If you look at a sort” of bell curve on this thing, we're probably siil onthe upside, not quite atthe top” - ‘To Saban's Golden, the new television services overseas, combined with the realization in recent years that kids’ programs have great profit potential, "are continuing to drive demand. “In every one of the markets where we've seen new systems come on line, many of those systems are gearing toward children’s programming. They're realizing i's been untapped for many years and it holds tremendous potential. I's still on the upswing and I think there is a tre-~ ‘mendous amount of growth.” While some mature territories, like the U.K., won't see new outlets for children’s programming, Golden sees others with great potential. “Many are really virgin and untapped in the children’s area. The Far East is one of those. Aside from Turner, which has a signal up there, there is really not one other pan-Asian signal out there.” Saban recently signed a wide-ranging deal with Murdoch’s Fox Broadcasting Network that includes plans to develop new children’s series, merchandising ‘deals and children’s channels around the globe. Golden declined to comment on whether Saban’s new relationship would result in a kids’ channel on Star TV, the pan-Asian satellite platform owned by Fox's parent company, News Corp. But it's clear that the Saban deal is part of a trend of some producers to ally them selves with major broadcasters. It isbelieved that Disney's acquisition of CapCities/ABC will allow the studio to program ABC's Saturday morning block, and Warner is moving its popular kids’ fare onto its own WB network. Turner, meanviile, is benefiting from its onnership of Hanna-Barbera. Jonny, Quest, for example, will air simul “taneously onal three Turner networks in the US—TBS, TNT and the Cartoon Network. Although Hanna-Barbera execs declined to comment on the license fees these nets are paying, its clear that the combined revenues played a major role in their ability to launch the show. Similarly, original production of ‘Turner's Cartoon Network is finding it ‘way into the company’s international sales efforts. Sources say that Turner International will begin selling Hanna- ‘Barber's cartoon shorts—which bowed last year onthe Cartoon Network—at this year’s MIP Such ties between assured network outlets and distributors may be particularly important in the short term, as demand flags following a period in ‘which high revenues allowed distributors to finance new production with booming global sales. Mike Byrd, senior VP of syndication sales for Turner Internationa, szys the demand is sill there, but that it may be near the peak. “I don’t project doing any increased business this year. Were projecting we'll do pretty much as well as we did last year, which was a record year for us.” ‘Some other players also see demand as strong, but. like Byrd, suggest that it may finally be leveling off. “There seems to be more selectivity in the product that’s going out,” says Fred Wolf, president of Fred Wolf Films. “I think @ lot of the boom activity has settled down and they're starting to separate the good from the bad.” Pat Ryan, president of international sales for DIC Entertainment, says demand is still being driven by new outlets coming on, but that buyers are becoming more sophisticated. “At one point, international would take most any programming,” she says. “Now they are interested in how the product is doing in the US. ratings. They're much more sophisticated in how they're purchasing WORLD SCREEN NEWS FEBRUARY 1996 programs, in what they need to make their decisions. It's more difficult to- place these programs, in my opinion, but the license fees are holding up.” David Ferguson, director of co- productions for Nelvana, believes the market may be peaking in terms of output. “People have been putting out volumes of stuf,” he says. “But there's. always a market for the high-end stuff. Ie going to get tighter and tougher, but in the end it will be the smaller producers that will have the tougher time.” x Miller of Nickelodeon sees a “very competitive marketplace” continuing for top tes. “The amount of really good stuff that one has an opportunity to acquire is limited. Ittends to stand out and therefore itbecomes hotly contested.” ‘The bottleneck that will eventually choke off growth is talent, Miller believes. “How many standout things are there? When you have a proliferation of channels and you have choices, your air needs to be good almost all the time. You can't have a lot of relatively dead air and still have a good business. The competition for the really good stuf is what's going to drive the business and that in turn comes back to talent and access to talent.” ‘Where's Lancelot? Producers of kids’ programs are taking a variety of approaches to finding that holy grail of a show that will capture the imagination of kids around the world. Some are reviving old names and others are pushing the envelope of high-tech, ‘There is no one genre that stands out. Gaumont's Pontavice freely acknowledges that one of his new offerings, Home to. Rent, is a style of animation inspired by some of the edgier cartoons on U.S. cable. “Home to Rent is following the trend of the last three to five years set by Nickelodeon and MTV: mean and funny and weirdlooking characters,” Pontavice says, “They're funny, action ¢riven—less ‘story telling, just a lot of fun. We're trying to avoid the extremes between the very violent shows that comes out ofthe US. or Japan and the very gentle and chilsh cartoons that are coming from Europe.” Miller recognizes Nickelodeon's role {in inspiring offbeat animation inthe siyle of Ren & Stimpy. “Were definitely seeing a lot more of that now,” he says, “And we do think that Nickelodeon had something to do with inspiring some of those. Its pretty hard to come up with a good superhero right now. It's not easy to break that kind of character. People are looking for more different kinds of characterizations” For its new animated series Blazing Dragons, Nelvana turned to Monty Python's Terry Jones to create something new. “IPs the story of the knights of the round table," Ferguson explains. “The twist is thatthe knights are the bad guys and the dragons are the good guys and the table is square.” Nelvana's partners for the series are Sudo Eline in France and ITVin the UK. Ciszewski of Alliance is betting the store on computer animation. The company is producing a second season of Reboot and launched Beast Wars at NATPE. Both shows are 100 percent computer animated, Ciszewski says. “Wire not a studio and we don't have the same tools to compete as the studios, so we have to be a little different," he says. “The budget on Reboot is $1 million per half hour, a huge budget. But ‘we got pretty important licensing as well, which allows us to finance it” Although Reboot has been widely sold, Cis- zewski says some buyers ‘were put off by the look of the show. “For some, it's so unusual that they can bbe shocked by this type of animation. It seemed too new for them.” Ciszewski,though, is counting on the international release of the Disney movie Toy Story to give his shows a boost. He has little doubt that the genre will appeal to kids and he expects costs to become more bearable. “Its a totally new genre and for kids, thats their world, They're living with the computer, they understand this kind of movement from videogames. It’s a new generation,” he “Costs will go down. At this point, insane to keep producing for $1 jon if we don't see a bigger return. The costs will have to come down and the competition will increase.” — Another approach, such as Hearst's with Flash Gordon, i to look inthe vaults for ideas. Turner is covering both bases ‘with Jonny Quest, a revival of an earlier animated series featuring high-f@h animation produced in the US., France and Japan. “We're remaking it, con- temporizing it,” says Byrd. “Some episodes will have virtual reality in them, It's going to be quite a hot show.” In addition to Blazing Dragons, Nelvana-is doing Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys with New Line in the U.S. and Marathon in France, and Pippi Long- stocking with BetaFilm in Germany and the Swedish owners of the franchise, “We've moved back into properties that suit the family genre," Ferguson says. “They're not soft or hard.” ‘Ninja Turtles creator Fred Wolf isn’t going to the vaults literally with The Fantastic Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor, but he is taking advantage of the familiarity of the name Sinbad. “Sinbad is a classic name that conjures up a certain image,” Wolf says. “It gives us a marquee Value right away. Our show is not Disney's Aladdin, but there are similarities in that it is in the time of nies and sorcerors with a lot of magic WORLD SCREEN NEWS FEBRUARY 1996 and flying carpets and stuf like that.” Wolf, who had to fend off some criticism that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was too violent—criticism he calls unwarranted—is among a number of producers today who are purposely steering clear of action that leans toward violence. “Certain countries are more sensitive to action that could be misinterpreted as violence, so we got more and more sensitive to that and decided to go more traditional,” he says. “Sinbad affords a Jot of young-boy action adventure with bizarre fantasy characters—all the ingredients we had in Turtles—except without the opportunity for violence. It will be more of a high-rolling adventure in which there will be more quests, escapes and chases.” ‘Action Media's Pack believes foreign markets are more open to children’s product with nonviolent and in- formational themes. “The action stuff works over there and they do like it, but they are more open to things like our ‘Madison's Adventures: Growing Up Wild,” Pack says. Madison is an animated cat who presents film footage from the BBC om how animals grow up inthe wild. “Europeans who have seen it really embrace it, immediately,” Pack says. “In the U.S. we have it on, but it's not put inthe time periods where it can get a good number. Internationally, they're far ahead of us in this area. It's much ‘more acceptable over there.” Lacey says the issue of violence in kids’ shows is felt most in European markets like Germany, Scandinavia and the U.K. “It's definitely more prevalent with the state broadcasters,” he says. “They feel a tremendous sense of heat ‘on this topic. Commercial broadcasters less so. They are more inclined to say, ‘Ifit delivers, as long as itis not overtly outrageous, we're going tobe there.” With WMAC Masters, a live-action martial arts competition show, Lacey stresses that it is sports- oriented, not real violence. “There's action and movement, but thisis stil a sport and half the program time is tied up with dramatic reenactments stressing courage, disci- pline, respect, loyalty and wisdom,” he says. “We're not putting it in pure kids’ time periods. We're saying to the broadcasters that it might work in a sports environment. Its a definite teen transitional kind of rogram.” Others, like Sunbow, are looking into new genres, such as live action, to ~ augment their libraries. Jane Smith, senior VP of sales at Sunbow Enter- _ tainment, explains that in the last two years, the studio has shifted its production to quirkier, more innovative animated shows, such as The Tick (sold by Twentieth internationally), The Mask (Sold by Turner), and The Littlest Pet Shop, which Sunbow sels. “Our clients are very interested in live action and we are looking to expand into that genre,” she adds. - Euro-Toons | Co-productions with international Partners continue to proliferate. Even studios ike Warner have moved into the co-production business, launching several shows that are being created with European partners. And overseas producers are increasingly looking to world markets for their animation. Sunbow's Smith notes that there are now many “innovative producers in markets like work with these producers to make their fare more available internationally and in the US. But in the short term, US. programming is stil dominant worldwide. Lacey says competition from European animators is significant within their own markets, but not in Asia or Latin America. “The international markets continue to look to America for kids' programming,” heys. “American programming works. delivers audience. The international broadcasters know it, they recognize it 77d they want to build their audience thit” Lacey ads that in Europe most ofthe top-performing kids’ programs are nerican shows. “On commercial uannels like ITV or Reteitalia or RTL. » Plus fve or six ofthe top 10 are American | O*8" he says, citing 1880 figures, “I su go to the next level, to cable, BSkyB or the cable services, it’ eight or nine or il some cases 10 out of 10 American +] ows. They're great deals for these sbroadcasters. They/re buying thei at a rrcentage of gram. They dub them and kids believe they sre produced in France Pur them.” Ryan of DIC believes at the increasing ber of U.S. 00-pro- ductions with Euro- .}, ans will benefit both * les. “The Europeans are becoming more in- velved," she says. * he US. does it the best and they want to jjearn what we're © ing. The compe- tuuon is there, They are becoming more ¢ phisticated in tarketing _ their sshows worldwide 24 producing tom. Their levels are very high and thts why it’s very ib sortant for us to se involved with these companies as co;production partners.” As a-consumer, the U.S. still is the ‘ust important and lucrative market in which to place a show, but most ducers, regardless of where they're ‘ed, prefer a global approach. “These days, from the minute we 8. rt drawing, or thinking, or writing 3. nething, we have to think on a ¢lobal basis,” says Wolf. “The U.S. is a se-titory, granted a most important 1 I powerful territory, but not WORLD SCREEN NEWS FEBRUARY 1996 necessarily a makeit-or-breakit kind of territory.” As evidence, Wolf cites his Dinobabies series, which was sold in 42 countries, but not the United States until this coming spring. “It's doing very well, especially in the U.K.,” he says. “If it sold in 42 countries, we're doing OK” Still, some of the larger European producers believe the US. remains key to their global plans. Ganmont’s Pontavice says he has a deal for his new Home to Rent with CBS, while Sky Dancers and Dragon Fiyz are in syndication with Active Entertainment. “I don't see any way I can make my shows profitable without the US," he says. “We never think about France first. We are very happy to be in a business where there are virtually no barriers between countries, because kids just love almost the same type of thing all over the world, There are many U.S. shows that are working in every territory all over the world. It’s not because they are American, Its because the targets really worldwide.” Ail of which should keep the kidvid merry-go-round running as a truly slobal ride 1 ‘Wo longer a boy's club: For the modernized ver sion ofits hip '605 toon Jonny Quest, the savry falls ot Hanna: ve added a young ‘female character, Jessie (lef).o TOY BOOK FEBRUARY 1996 eSed Turner unveils Jonny Quest action figures and sets stage for Cartoon Network licensing program Totes Home Entertainment is unvelling the action figure line from the cartoon series “The Real Adventures of Joliny Quest” from master tor licensee Lewis Galoob. The line will include action figures, vehicles and accessories that will embody the new Jonny Quest while holding onto the best Part of the show from the ‘60s. T.H.E ts backing Hanna-Barbara's The Real Adventure: Quest with a multimillion-dollar promotional cam. “paign that includes category leaders such as Pizza Hut and other partners in the packaged goods, interactive, publishing and home video categories, soon to be announced. The campaign will launch the series as it debuts on all three Turner Networks in August. Ip addition, T.H.E. along with Hanna-Barbera and Cartoon Network, will make an announcement that will incorporate the new direction in the consumer products category, T.H.E. will also hold a breakfast at Toy Fair to introduce Turner Pictures products to the toy indus. try. The breakfast will include both Turner Pictures live-action films and Turner Features animation releases, S Also going into its second year of Balble’s Holly- wood Legends collection. ‘The Gone With the Winds Barbie as Scarlett and Ken As Rhett will be followed this year by The Wizard of Oz with Barbie as Dorothy. . World Championship Wrestling is going ito sts second line with The Original San Francisco Toy. makers. The new line includes the WCW wrestlers im new poses, according to the company. # Circle Reader Service No. 156BUBRELLES Best bets for -<. licensing featured at Toy Fair °96 - icensing in the toy industry /will continue to command ‘much attention at this year's Toy Fair with such hot new proper- tues as Jonny Quest. and Goose- bumps, according to Murray Altchuler, executive director of the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Associ- ation, sponsors of Licensing ‘96, the 16th Annual International Licensing and Merchandising Conference and Exposition. As the multi-billion dollar licensing Industry continues to grow, toy manufacturers are among the many who are taking advantage of the name recognition it gener- ates in sales. ‘The initial marketing strate- gies developed for many of the toys previewed at the Toy Fair originate in the halls of the prior year's Licensing Show where toy manufacturers shop the proper- tes most likely to succeed, notes Altchuler. “Witness the sales success of past mega-hits—Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.” says Alichuler. “These were among the thousands of properties on display at past years’ Licensing Shows.” ‘At Toy Fair "96, word is_that Scholastic will be announcing the master toy licensee for Goosebumps, the best-selling kids book series in the world and the number one hit TV show on the FOX Children’s Network. TOY BOOK FEBRUARY 1996 According to Robin Sayetta, director of licensing for Scholas- tic, the company’s participation at the annual Licensing Show in June has been instrumental in establishing Scholastic as a presence in the licensing indus- try. “People generally go to the Licensing Show with their ear to the ground looking for the hot new properties and reinforce ment for those that are predicted “winners,” she says. “The Show serves as a springboard to launch our licensing efforts. As the results reveal, Goosebumps created quite a buzz at Licensing "95." Frederika Brookfield, senior manager of public relations for Turiier Home Entertainment, reports that last year’s Licensing, Show was key to the launch of the Jonny Quest property, which will be a Teatured action-figure line from Lewis Galoob Toys at Toy Fair. The animated series will begin, airing on TNT. TBS and Cartoon Network’ this August The Licensing Show is a ert cal time for us because that’s when all the parties Involved in the licensing industry are pre- sent in one arena,” she says. “The show enables us to set up several key meetings with a broad varity of diferent catego- wy leaders” Goosebumps, Jonny Quest and Star Wars are just a few of the year's properties previewed at the Licensing Show. The Show provides exhibitors the opportunity to showease new properties, reposition classic properties, present merchandis- ing programs and develop a net- work of business opportunities. “This year marks a significant turning point in the growth of the entire show with the reloca- tion to the Jacob K. Javits Con- vention Center in New York City. According to the show director. Diane Stone of Expocon Manage- ment Associates, there is already tremendous excitement regard- ing the announcement. “Last year we were completely sold out with a total of 265 exhibitors on board and a lengthy waiting list. which actually forced us to turn some exhibitors away. With more exhibitors expected in the years to come, we are pleased to bbe making the move to the Javits Center. The new facility will be more accommodating to exhibitors and attendees alike.” Licensing ‘96 is sponsored by LIMA and produced by Expocon Management Associates, Inc.. a ‘major producer of both domestic and international and consumer ‘expositions and conferences as well as publishers of related diree- tories. Featured events include a series of seminars conducted by licensing experts, the annual Licensing Gala, and the presenta tion of the LIMA Beanie Awards of ‘excellence. Licensing ‘96 is scheduled for June 25 through 27, 1996. For information on exhibiting, con- tact Susan Reuter, director of sales, at (203) 256-4700, ext. 106 or by fax (203) 256-4730. For information on attending, contact show director Diane ‘Stone at ext, 124. For informa- tion regarding LIMA member- ship, contact Murray Altchuler at (212) 244-1944 or by fax at (212) 563-6552. ¢ Circle Reader Service No. 148,VIDEO AGE FEBRUARY 1996 Jonny Quest returns! Henne Semera, restore of some ofthe ‘best loved eaftoon enaracers. Such aS ‘Yee! Beer and The Fintstones. are wel con che way 0 ereatngyot another? lassie series. Madu m aeceraton win ‘Tummeiolemationsl teenasasems, latest creator. Ine Axa! Agventres of Jonrv Ouest is bem holed as one of ‘reat higmiecn,eutne ees canons ever mode, and will make its {obal debut in kur 29. - ‘Based on the hit 1960s senes. The ssventure of Jonny Quest 85 new tay tanute cartoons take the best elements from the classic sores = float ‘overlies and cuting edge technology ~ and ndate them 90's sve. using the Stil of animators and rocucion facies saree ove vee coroners. In tos angeles, Henna Barbers sing a number ef prepreducion tecoiaues, cucing animate, using Radius VceoVison Slucio ond gta! colour hey wih Fractal Design Pater. igdesign Prooois i being used for slogue etng. The anmaton is being svnphed by 9 numberof studoe worewie.inetucingJooan's Paci ‘aimaion Co. French eolounsation specials Toon's Facto. use SClt scan the anmation, whch is then comoosee ‘ng Quertes Henry. The enmation combines. edibona cel tecrnigves with ‘omouterelemerts, using Sofimoge’s CCreavve Teor and proonelary software from Toon 3 Feta. _Hanoabarvers. 00 1 213 436 3004, Tamer intemationa! 0171 637 6736.VIDEO AGE FEBRUARY 1996 Jonny Quest returns! «lobal debut in Autumn 1996. ‘Based on the hit 1960s series, The, ‘Adventure of Jonny Quest, 65 new thirty ‘inate cartoons take the best elements from the classic series ~globat ‘adventures and cutting edge technology and update them 90°s stye, using the skills of animators and production facilities spread over three continents. In Los Angeles, Hanna Garbera is Using @ number of pre-production techniques, including animatics, using Radius VideovVision Studio and dita! colour key with Fractal Design Painter. Digicesign ProTools is being used for Gialogue editing. The animation is being supplied by a number of studios wworldwice, including Japan's Pacific Animation Corp. French colourisation specialists Hanna Barb Teon’s Factory, use SGI to scan the iestloved cartoon characters, such 28 _brimation, whch is then composed ‘og! Boar and The Flintstones, are well sing Quantel's Henry. The animation ‘on the way to creating yet another ‘combines traditional cel techniques with classic series. Made in association with cqmpurter elements, using Softimage’ Creative Toon? and proprietary software from Toon's Factory ‘the most hightech, Cuting edge Hanna Barbera 00 1 213 436 3004 Cortoons ever made, and wil makeits Tumer international 0171 637 6736. Hone Brera has revamped ke popular 196505 nny Quest haracer wih te lp of aximairs ond production fais frum al over the wordWORLD SCREEN NEWS FEBRUARY 1996 DISTRIBUTION > THREE TO WATCH Fred Seibert, president of Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, works to peddle classic cartoon characters and create new ones; Jane Smith, senior VP of sales at Sunbow Enteriainment, explains her strategy for revitalizing this indie kidvid specialist; and Chevonne O'Shaughnessy, VP of foreign sales at PM Entertainment, is taking this film producer into the televi- sion age. These three tistelbutors bring classic cartoon characters, quirky new Kids’ shows aud expanding television production (0 Monte Garo. Fred Seibert freely admits that as a young man his first love was music, not tele ¥ision. “Ioved watching cartoons, but had no interest in making the kind ofcookiecut- ter kids’ animation that the networks were producing,” he says. Seibert, however, dis covered the power of animation when he took job working for Robert Pitman, help- ing him launch MTV. As cre ative director for the fledgling music channel, Seibert was re- sponsible for creating the net's onair look. To make MTV stand out ‘Fred Selbert in viewers’ COO as minds, he took the radical step of hiring animators to cre ate MTV's logo. “That was my first experi ence with animation and for 10 years I nev- er made anything that lasted longer than 10 seconds,” he quips. “But even though they were short, we wanted something that would be very classic, [something that ‘would appeal to young people and yet stand up over time].” Today, that vision of ‘classic’ isthe watch word at the animation studio Seibert runs, Hanna-Barbera. Since the late 19508, its two founders, William Hanna and Joseph Bar- era, had created many classic characters, from the Flintstones and the Jetsons to Scooby Doo and Huckleberry Hound. But the studio's production slowed in the early 1990s and many of its most famous characters were underex- ploited in global markets. When Turner purchased the studio in 1992, the company hoped to revi- talize HannaBarbera's produc- TT UMW Ny Ay ea tion, creating new series for its networks and global sales operations To do that, it turned to Seibert, who had his own Company providing creative services and marketing for advertisers and television networks that targeted kids and young people. Since Seibert's arrival, Hanna-Barbera hhas adopted a two-pronged strategy of revitalizing its library and production. For starters, Seibert has worked to more effectively market the company's classic characters. Each year, the company has targeted one character. In 1994, for exam ple, Hanna-Barbera pushed the Flint- stones, working with Universal to release a live-action film and new television pro- gramming, This year it will push Jonny Quest with new series of half-hour shows, and next year the Jetsons will be the focus, with new cartoons and a live- action film slated for production. ‘tthe same time, Seibert has worked to create anew generation classic characters, He has commissioned a series of cartoon shorts that will premiere on the Cartoon Net work, Seibert believes the shorts will allow ‘Hanna Barberajo hire many diferent anima- tors from around the world to create new characters that can eventually be developed into series, ‘The strategy of creating new characters and better exploiting the compa- ny’s existing library has been complemented by the marketing and merchandising clout of the larger Turner empire. Turner's international sales operations and its networks have provided Han- _na-Barbera with a more secure source of financing for new shows. The collection of shorts, for example, bowed on the CarWORLD SCREEN NEWS FEBRUARY 1996 toon Network around the world and will eventually make its way into the interna- tional sales pipeline. Likewise, the new Jet “sons cartoon series will bow in 1997 on all three Turner networks in the US. airing in the morning on TNT, in the afternoon on ‘TBS and in the evening on the Cartoon Network. ‘The expanding Turner empire has also helped fund [anna-Barbera's global mar- keting efforts. Last year, it opened an office in Europe so that it could more effectively coordinate merchandising efforts with European broadcasters, retail ers and Turner network executives. It has also hired a Hong Kong executive to scout {or similar opportunities in Asia. REL Aa ALIA) More expansion could be in the works if the merger of Turner and Time Warner is. completed. Warner's broadcast network in the US. and its expanding group of channels around the world could provide new outlets for Hanna-Barbera programs, and Warner's theme parks, retail stores and powerful mer- chandising muscle could bolster Hanna Bar- _bera’s own merchandising efforts. Seibert declined to comment on the merger or any of those opportunities. What the would say was that the key to Hanna-Bar- era's future lies in a more classic re- “souirce—its creative talent. I came to work ata company where the two founders con- tinued to produce brilliant work,” he says. “T talked to them and many other animators when I took this job and !learned a lot about the tradition of making great cartoons. ‘When we started to rebuild this company, we looked back to that tradition—basically, you have to trust your creative it. So we ‘have built a system around the animation fal- ent rather than the executive talent.” sLICENSING BOOK FEBRUARY 1996 FEBRUARY 1886 Bungie's tr TURNER’S “QuEsT” Draws Top Toy LICENSEES TO NEW ACTION SERIES ‘(itt Home Entertainment } (THE) is readying for jonny Quest mania, In production now fora Fall debut are 65 half-hour “The _Real Adventures of Jom . Turner's “The Real Adventures of. Lonmy Quest.” episodes. Ham ducing the series, which utilizes state-of-the-art animation technol~ ogy, including anime—the Japanese-style animation noted for its wide-eyed characters and highly detailed backgrounds “The ventures Barbera’s classic, “The Adventures ‘of Jonny Quest” which aired in the 60s, It marries international intrigue into a mystery-adventure format, featuring real teenage heroes caught up in extraordinary dangers in the real world and in virtual reality. Lewis Galoob Toys is the world- wide master ete oY license for the new According to oder Brooklield of THE..the toys will hit retail for the series” Fall debut and Galoob will pre- view the line at Toy Fair, 1107 Broadway, 1th floor. Galoob's toy Tine will initially feature action figures, role-playing toys. plush. and a segment of the company’s signature Micro Machines, In addition to the backing of a leading toy company. the strength of “The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest” Tis in is support across all Turner Broadcasting divisions. ‘There will be a Monday-Friday strip on Tumer Network Televisi (INT), TBS Superstation. and the Carton Network, There will also be a second strip airing late-night on the Cartoon Network and once aeweek on TNT's Saturday after- noon lineup News will be released shortly about a Quest fast food tie-in and an on-pack promotion. T-H.E. repos. In addition, apparel, CD- ROM. and publishing licensees are being finalized. °LICENSING 800K FESRUARY 1995 Burgentes ” Ewis Galoob Toys, Inc. has action and adventure in store for the coming year. as licensee for Malibu Comics’ Ultra- Force: Hanna-Barbera’s “The Real. ‘Abrams/Gentile Entertainment's “Dragon Fly Star Wars Galoob’s UlraForce toys began shipping the first six of eight fig- ures in the initial line last December. Some limited-edition figures (5.000 apiece) were mixed into those shipments, * and George Lucas” Prime” (as ‘opposed to plain Prime) is one of the collector's figures. The *96 line of Ultra- Force will add four more styles and collector’s figures with new decorations and black packaging to set them apart for 1996. The ‘comic-based toys appeal to a broad range of buyers, from young fans of the animated TV show and comic 10 collectors. at mass market LICENSING BOOK FEBRUARY 1996 reuil and in specialty stores. On Aug. 26 “The Real ve st” ane mated TV series debuts on TNT, TTBS, and the Cartoon Network Hard on its heels follows the _. September launch of Galoob's line of Quests. The Real World line features 3Med-inch fully aniculated action fig- ures per blister pack, with accessories. ‘The QuestWorld fine emphasizes extreme adventure, and pairs one of the show's characters with the equipment for scuba diving, or moun- taineering, of other adventuring. The deluxe VR pack is “based on light.” says Lary Wiesler, vice president of marketing at Galoob The VR pack has transluscent fig- ures of about 4-inches high, as well as translucent vehicles, pairing one Person and one vehicle per pack. Race Bannon may be packaged with his jet, or st with, motorcycle. The Quest Rover, ** Lewis GaLoos Toys Has FLYERS For GIRLS AND Boys; PREPARES TO EMBARK ON “THE REAL ADVENTURES OF JONNY QUEST” Quest Sub, and QuestWorld Helicopter all come with a unique figure. ‘The much-anticipated Dragon Flyz—a boy's flying toy inspired by Sky Dancers—will ship in April ‘96 in limited markets because of limited availability at time of release. The domestic ship- ping of Dragon Flyz is scheduled for April; internationally, shipping should begin shortly thereafter. Six dragons and six figures are paired in packs, with eight collectible fig- ures sold individually. The “Dragon Flyz” TV series from Abrams/Gentile Entertainment and Gaumont Multimedia will hit the airwaves in Fall of 96. Perhaps the best-known of Galoob’s featured licenses at this year's Toy Fair will be Star Wars. ‘The Star Wars Action Fleet, part of the Micro Machines brand, was launched in December last year, introducing six vehicles scaled 10 Micro Machine-size. Four new styles will be added to this Tine in 1996. as well as two playsets. The Death Star and Ice Planet Hoth playsets both come with special battle-damaged vehicle and five articulated action figures Just over L-inch tall. Galoob also plans to introduce Battle Packs of smaller vehicles combined with three or four figures in blister packs. «PLAYTHINGS FEBRUARY 1, 1996 “TV deals for Turner's ‘New Jonny Quest’; LONDON — Tomer Broodcasing’s Primary entertainment property for 1996, The New Jonny Quest TV se- ies, is getting support From forks worldwide, Copyright Promotions, the series’ European licensing agent, hos announced. Besides airing on The Cartoon Net- work, the BBC has committed to. iring the series storing in September wee Q week. The series, set around the world ond ino virucircly universe, is targeted to kids aged 6-11. ierchandising ogree- ments have been signed with Goloob {distributed in the U.K, by Toy Op- tions), Virgin (CD-ROMi, Microgamos {LCD game), Panini (Stickers) ond: Dark Horse ComicsADVERTISING AGE MONDAY, FEBUARY 5, 1996 Toy industry tries ‘retro’ fix | | “Successes of '60s revived for ‘90s By Kate Fitzecngig7 S| SB MIL “FuIPPeR’ caMpaicn = BA By Kate Fitzgerald giey Bi bcs an estimated 3 The toy. industry is hungrier | million TV campaign this spr tinusal oeakie? | Br hs Flipper Suet Set ye oe Tes been nearly three years | Berenter Greenhouse & Webs ” Me ‘New York. since the ‘megahit’ Mighty Nor Phin Power Rangers lnded, and | “The Real Adventures of Jon- toymakers heading to the ggrd an- |v Quest,” a- modernized G5epi= nual American International Toy sode animated TV series, debuts Fair, opening in New York next | this fall fom Turner Broadeasting ‘week, are nervous. System, and will be backed by a Facing a distressed reall envi-_| line of products including action ronment and a revolution in fami- | figures from Galocb Toys by emeraioment wrought by Other red and re concep computers, industry executives dominating the Toy Bane seem to be secking sheher in the products based on comin bole safe territory of retro ideas from erheroes and classic lee, Wel, 460s TV programs such as “Flip: Disney Co's “Hunchkack potjand Jonny Ques." Note Dame’ is another hot com weed eS seems to be a modity; Matiel Toys is expcoedl tend of favoring toys based on to unveil toy tied to the fl ie properties and concepts from our 28 : ‘SeTOYSon Fis» “POWER RANGERS” RELAUNCH Saban Entertainment, creator TOYS from Pase bom cnn, bu snot ust ofthe Power Ranger i pttng because we're from the baby {5 emphasis ar the Toy Fair on a boom generation,” said Andy Gat- “elaunch” of its hic series, called to, exee VP at Toy Biz, “These “Power Rangers Zeo.” Bandai toys have a lot of appeal to tor Aperic olfers action figures sel wee vehicles hiting stores this spring, with ad support from J. Walter ‘Mr. Gatio's company is unveil- PF | ing'a tne, ded to Univeral Sur Thompson USA, Chicago, dios’ updated "Flipper" film, The computer revolution has Soe SPRL eee abouts #800 the tradtonal oy hola tacky dolphin, which opens Me. imo a tailspin, say analysts, who uel Dag elec expect the overall. business” to The g's bched bys mul BOW ony po hi eae i nillion-dollar promotional and li- At the ‘Toy Fair, Mattel wl ‘nsing campalgn through MCA/- show CD-ROMs based on “is Universal that includes tie-ins ‘lassic brands, including Barbie with Pizza Hut and Kellogg Co.'s and Cabbage Patch Kids; the new Race Krispies Hasbro Interactive division ex. ects strong interest in its CD- ROMs based on classic games in: cluding Monopoly, Bawleship andADVERTISING AGE MONDAY, FEBUARY 5, 1996 “Jonoy Ouest: The young adverturer has heen updated forthe asBRANDWEEK FEBRUARY 12, 1996 rea VT mer TEEN ROM ORO Le Is not a year when any one or two licensing properties are required viewing at Toy Fit. “Hopefully, Zay Story will push people back into toy stores, \which supports my’ unoriginal theory that you should always bet on Disnes.” said John Gillea, vp oficensing and promo- tion for Hasbro, “There's nothing out there ding everybody,” ‘added Michael Malone, vp of Fox Licensing and Merchandis ing, There are even some pundits suggesting that since ‘96, an Olympicyyear, some studios have held back the best prod: ct. Pertiaps that explains why some ofthe biggest news out ofthe toy industry's annual gabfest in New York this week will rot necessarily be this year's hot licensing properties, but the results from a growing trend of developing entertainment based toys through joint agreements with the entertainment industy’s biggest licensors. ‘Warner Bros. has founded its own WB Toys brand, which will aunch a line for Space Jam, its biggest licensing vehicle of the year. Fox has signed a “first ook" agreement with Lewis Galoob ‘Toys and the nascent Dreamworks studio has aligned itself with Hasbro; all are combinations the toy industry willbe watching closely. Why the rush to partner? As retailers trim their inventary of allbutthe biggest licensing programs, i's one way to keep from being thrown off store shelves, ‘What will continue to work at retail are the block buster properties. Everything else i almost irelevant,” said Brad Globe, Dreamworks consumer products chief. Globe, formerly of Amblin Entertainment, will be an observer at this Toy Fir, although Hasbro and Dreamworks have exe cuted a joint venture under Which the toy manufacturer is what's the difference? That’s what Ena) at Toy Fair will be wondering. the embryonic studio's exclusive toy manufacturer. For 1997, Globe is developing programs for Jurassic Park's sequel and Men In Black. ‘Trying to batlle, (or isit emulate?) the Disney/Mattel cash cow has led to the new alliances, as studios seek to gain the kind of control over licensing and merchandising that makes Dis ney successful. They also want more time to build programs. Galoob's frst look agreement with Fox could give it {as much as an additional year's head start, according to Fox's Malone. “Theit expertise will allow us 10 bring aspects into a film or TV show to enhance its licensing and mer- cchandising,” he said. "As you spend more on films and TY, the ancillary revenue is where you are going to actually make your money. So you need more control." Under the agreement, Galoob will produce a toy line for the Fox TV show Space: Above & Beyond and the 1997 animated Anastasia. This year, the big push for Fox is Independence Day, a sci-fi film with Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum. Master toy licensee Trend Masters will launch around 20 SKUs for a film described as a “War of the Worlds for the '90s.”BRANDWEEK FEBRUARY 12, 1996 ‘The promise inherent in combining two licensing icons like Warner Bros.’ Looney Tunes with Michael Jor- dan in Space Jam may have been reason enough for the studio to create ils own toy label. But as WB Worldwide Licensing chief George Jones pointed out, having in- house capabilies also allows studios to suppor projects that otherwise might have died. Mad Max, a forthcoming action/adventure series, never would have gotten on the air, “excep! that we knew there was a great toy line init’ he sai. Design capabilites are now in-house, but the st dio i stl looking to others for manufacturing and distr- bution. Playmates Toys will manufacture and distribute the 30-SKU Space Jam fine showing at Toy Fai, Playmates ‘will also do line of classic Looney Tunes toys, right held by Tyco before the license was reclaimed. Ina parallel situation, Mate is entering the expanding interactive business in earnest, with Mattel bringing in something that had been licensed out. “What was out there weren't the most innovative and technically advanced, but they sold well,” said Doug Glen, ‘who left Sega to head the new Mattel Media interactive ‘unit, Earlier software sales are a tribute to the power of Matte's brands, ike Barbie, Hot Wheels and Fisher Price Glen plans to use those world-lass trademarks to bridge the gap between toys and interactivity. “There are play patterns built into Barbie and Hot Wheels,” he said. “I you can extend and intensify those sing interactivity, you've got something special.” ‘Asked foran example frm the 10 CD-ROMs Mattel will debut at Toy Fair, Glen cites a Barbie program inwhich an court can be designed from a full choice of colors and ‘iyles and eventually printed onto a combination of fabric and paper that can be worn by Barbie. Other CD's will debut from franchises ike Poly Pocket, See '' Say, Cab- page Patch, Hot Wheels and Fisher Price. Those toys have enous distaff appeal that Gien sees no problem doing the impossible, sling computer software to gil. “If we can get Barbie software in the Barbie section, girts will buy i," he sai. Expect Mattel to bundle toys with software, to syn- ¢hronize the launch of new toys with accompanying CD- ROMs and to piggyback TV ads for its toys with pitches {or related interactive products Mattel is also master toy licensee for Disney's Hunch- back of Notre Dame, an animated Memorial Day release from Disney. For Tuner Home Entertainment, Toy Fair'96 will be a test 2s to whether it can achieve that often-cited, but sel dom demonstrated 5 word (synergy) between its licens ing side and its TV networks. In what may be the last major effort for T1H.E. before a possible consolidation swith Warner Bros, Consumer Products under the pend- ing Time-Warner/Turner merger, HE. is relaunching its S2yearolé Jonny Quest animated property. The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest willdebut inthe fal, Trmiaable 21 tines «wed on Tuertwee man ot lets: Cartoon Network, TNT, and WTBS. “We're making it prety difficult to avoid,” said Peter Van Raalte, T.E.'s vp-domestic licensing. Other THE. launches at Toy Fair include new collector's Barbe (trans. lation, a $79.95 price point) showeasing the doll as both Dorothy and Glenda the Good Witch, from The Wizard ‘of Oz, Not to be outdone, Ken makes an appearance as the Tin Man. Toy Fair wll also see the introduction of new Hanna-Barbera plush from Chosun, replacing incumbent licensee Dakin ‘Wunderkind toymaker Happiness Express is banking on licenses from TV properties including Sty Dancers, AAAHHt Real Monsters. Budgie the Helicopter, Dudley the Dragon and Pifow People, a property that started life as an actual pillow, Dut is slated tobe an animated show this fal. The Budge line includes the company’s initia for ay into die-cast toys. New literary properties include Miss Spider's Tea Party and Aesock, who travels through time collecting lost socks. Each will get a plush line. The larg: er news for Happiness Express, which recently bolted ‘Manhattan for the suburbs, is that coo Joe Sutton plans to make the company less dependent on licensing “Our goal isto have 60% to 75% proprietary products,” he said. The current mix is around 50-50. MCA Universal's two major ‘96 properties are @ dolphin ‘and a dragon. A fim version of Flipper with Paul Hogan ‘and Etjah Wood is sel fora Memorial Day release. The core audience of 3- to &year-olds is being targeted by some 40 licensees. Bath toys, pool toys and plush are on tap. From the land of TV re-runs, MCA/Universal went to the 10th Century for its other big film, Dragonhear. Described by licensing vp John Dumbacher asa Jurassic Fark for dragons, the film features Sean Connery asthe voice of Draco the Dragon Master toy licensee Kenner will show a line of around 25 SKUs, mostly action figures. ‘Nickelodeon will continue to extend is zany brand to toy shelves in 1996. Toy Fair wil see the unveing ofa 50-roduct [Nick J branded line for preschooler from Playskool; other [Nick J licensees, including Sony Wonder, doing video and audio products, Viacom New Media with preschool software; and Simon and Schuster, issuing a I7-book Nick Jr book ine. Nota easy lot to pick a winner rom, Butyou can always apply what Hasbro's Gildea calls “the bind squirrel theory.” “Just like every once in a while a blind squirrel can find an acorn all he requisite things can be there for an enteriainment property and produce no results and in ‘ther cases, you can have none of the requisite elements and ibe & hit” he said .BROADCASTING & CABLE FEBRUARY 12, 1996 Cartoon Network adds three series ‘Quest,’ ‘Dexter’ and ‘Big Bag’ are newest entries By Jim McConville jurner Entertainment Networks— new season, up from 8 million homes the Cartoon Network. TBS and when it launched four years ago, says TNT—will be adding three new TBS"s Karl Kuechenmelster shows to its weekly kids programing Kuechenmeister says the Kids schedule this year, upfront market for cable has 50 Far not ‘The new shows are Dexter's Labo-, een a “runaway freight train,” “I'm. ratory, The Real Adventures Of Jonny ot sure it will be as big this ye: Gueil an Eig Bag SCRCEMATS | Regret adinaay rea ee ree launch April 29 on Cartoon Network, down in their ratings delivery versus TNT and TBS, Dev carvis last year. It's going to be tough for the first breakout cartoon series from some of them.” But Kuechenmiister Turner's "World Premiere Toons" pro- predicts “huge” upfront share mi 401 of shorts andthe first Tumer short tions from networks down in the rat- to be expanded into a half-hour ings to those that are up. "Nickelodeon episode and Tumer sand to do the bes his The Cartoon Network and Tumer- year atthe expense of Fox, Disne), owned animation studio Hgnna:Bar. ABC. CBS, USA and Family Chan: bach intally will produce si half-hour nel.“he sys , “dating Quest is among te ew episodes of the series and are eying it Nickelodeon this year was again artoon Networ 2.3 posible Monday-Friday strip forthe center of atention. breaking the 1997! Episodes of Dever'sLabovacors kids upfront advertising market a will be patted witha Dexter spin-off, week ‘earlier than anyone. else Dial M'Yor Monex: Turner's Jonny (BROADCASTING & Cate, Feb. 5) and ues. secondgsneration version of seling nearly 0% of is inventory of the HannacBarbera ‘60s prime time commercial time within the first series il debut weckdayson he Cars week, including four prime ime deals toon Network, THS and TNT suring running through 1998, according to imate August John Popkowski. senior vice presi- Big Bog. joim venture withthe dent a sales, or Nickelodeon parent Children's Television Workshop. wil MTV Networks launch June onthe Cartoon Network, Since Nickelodeon last year cut The show 4 weekly, commercal‘fee upfront deals that un throdgh third hour educational series. isthe Chit quarter 1997. Nickelodeon executives dren's Television Workshop's first were taken a bit by surprise by the flur preschool series since Sesame Sire ty of interest this year, “We didnt ‘he show will combine five live studio think tat we would e this active, buta hots new fim Hensen-ceated Mup- lot! people approached s wanting to pels, siranimatedshors and music.” extend ther bate deals from last year The Cartoon Network will be in through third quarter 1998.” says Pop- ‘more than 32 million homes for the kowski, 7CABLE WORLD FEBRUARY 12, 1996 Kids’ Stuff Nickelodeon, Cartoon post big gains in 1996 children’s upfront market By Witt Workman hile Nickelodeon as established itself as the dominant player in the kids’ upfront market set to ‘wrap up this week with an estimated $700 rillion in sales, Cartoon Network is in a rapid expansion phase. ‘The two networks have grabbed the at- tention and dollars of advertisers as broad- cast competitors ABC, CBS and Fox lost 20% to 30% of their ratings in the 1994-95 season. While that may put Nickelodeon and Cartoon in the driver's seat forthe time being, industry observers say it doesn’t mean a competitor's smash hit or the resur- gence of The Disney Channel or Fox could- ‘upset the rosy pichire. Nickelodeon's currently delivering ‘more than half of all kids watching TV, says John Popkowski, the executive VPad sales | at Nickelodeon parent MTV Networks. “This has just blown people's minds that a cable network could take 50% of the mar- ‘ket — and that’s the national market, not just the cable marke,” Popkowski says. Nickelodeon hadn't expected to sign ‘new deals this year afer last year's two-year pacts, Popkowski says, but the network's newfound strength and primetime pro: ‘gramming expansion helped itextend those agreements to 1998’ third quarter. Major signees inchule Kraft, Hasbro and Matte “They see what we see: that ratings HARD SELL: Cartoon Network execs, who've been pushing the network’ interatonal expan sion and rapid U.S. growth to advertisers, ex- ect uptront sales to rise 50% to 70% this year are leaving [broadcast] and coming to ts,” he says, "At Cartoon Network, which last week touted its international expansion and rapid USS. growth to advertisers, execu tives expect sales to be up 50% to 708, “Where the ratings points go, the dot lars should follow,” says Karl Kuechen- meister, senior VP-kids/syndication sales ‘at Turner Broadcasting Sales Sill, Turner is holding back on long- term deals while Cartoon Network contin- ues to grow — it’s now in almost 25 million US. homes. TBS SuperSiation, meanwhile, ‘has revamped is kids programming and is hoping for a big bang with the fall debut of Zeal Adventures of Jonny Quest on ‘Cartoon, TBS SuperSiation and TNT. For the most part, though, Turner's up- front deals are done, Kuechenmelster say. “There's always a litle bit of scatter, Dut upfront’s a huge percentage,” he says. ‘Ad agency executives caution that Nickelodeon's domination and the growth ‘of Cartoon Network haven't led to a larger overall ad revenue pie — last year's up- front was about $660 million — or perma- nently set back competition from broad- ceasters and The Disney Channel “WB [Network] could hurt Nick and Disney will undoubtedly do something,” says Tom Horner, a senior partner at ad agency Bozell Worldwide. “Will they go basic or will they start a kids channel? I suspect il be a kids channel" But Disney's cable competitors say they don’t have time to worry about ‘counter-moves if the channel goes basic. “That's probably an event that's on alot ‘of people's minds, but I don’ think anyone's thought ofa particular strategy yet” says Joe Uva, executive VPentertainmentsales/mar keting at Turner Broaclcasting Sales.a ByLARRY LEVENTHAL NEW YORK This week’s Toy Fair will feature a plethora of product line rollouts based on licensed entertainment proper- ties. Entertainment licensees promise to be a presence at the show, and marketing support will ake several forms. Some toy manufacturers willbe show- ing excorpts from new shows on monitors others willbe running events focusing on newly I censed characters, Personnel representing dis- tributors and syndicators will no doubt be seen wandering the event, as they gauge reaction not just 10 product Lines being intro- duced, but to the properties on Which they are based. The foliowing examples of up- coming product available at this year’s event illustrate the syn- ergy between toy manufactur ers and distributors and devel- opers of children's. program- mingmaterializes. JONNY QUEST ‘The introduction of acollection of action figures fashioned after characters from “Phe Real Ad- ventures of Jonny Quest,” anew ‘animated series om Turner's Hanna-Barbera, bowing this fall ‘and based onthe classic "60s “Quest” program, likely will be ‘one of the most hyped launches at the Toy Pair. The toy lines being done as part ofa yearlong Turner marketing blitz to promote the program and its ancillary li- censed products. “What we are going to do is take these characters and make them relevant anew,” says ‘Anne Adriance, senior VP and general manager of licensing VARIETY, FEBRUARY 12-18, 1996 Toy, biz synergy evident and merchandising for Turner Home Entertainment. “Thereis 2 great nostalgia factor, and we are going to make them eontem- porary enough to bring into the 2Asteentury.” ‘Adriance says the company's research shows that viewers of “Jonny Quest” reruns, now shoving on Turner's Cartoon Network, spans aging baby boomers to their young chil dren, Asa result, the new series could mean a merchandising bo- nnanza, if marketed correctly. A line of “Jonny Quest” action fig- ures aftHEEESSOFIES will be in- troduced at Toy Fair by San Francisco's Lewis Galoob Toys Ine. According to Gary Nik Galoob exec VP, the Jonny Quest property has strong censing potential “The people at Tuer showed us their plans, which combines the story of a young adalt with his adventures in virtual realty says Niles. “These are stories in- volving a character that's a real young an, notasuperhero,” DRAGON FLYZ, Galoob is also the manufac turer of last year's No. 1 toy in retail unit sales, Sky Dancers. ‘The company is looking to fol~ low up the suecess of that flying doll for girls with a new version for boys, Dragon Flyz, Both toys are the basis af two ani- mated television series sched- tuled to bow this fall, “We saw that a lot of boys were playing with Sky Dane- ers,” Niles says in deseribing the company’s motivation for introducing Dragon Flyz, “We started showing around a proto- type toboys, and they flipped.” Not only’ are Dragon Flyz male figures, they are fully pose- able, unlike Sky Daneers. The newline from Galoob will include 16 versions of the warrior fig- ures, as well as four dragons, which serve as launchers. Both toys were invented by Abrams! Gentile Entertainment of New ‘York, which is working with French animation producers Gaumont Multimedia in devel- opingthetwoanimated series. BANANAS INPAJAMAS Jerry Sachs, president of Sachs Family Entertainment of LA. first saw “Bananas in Pa- jamas,” a live-action eostume ‘comedy from Australia, at the MipTV syndication market. ‘When Sachs bought rights to the-series, he was 0 high on t,he immediately envisioned 2 cor- responding licensing package. “We went to Australia to see how the property was perform {ng on a merchandising level and ‘we were quite pleased,” he ex- plains. “A great toyline becomes the engine that pulls an entire licensing program withit ‘Tomy America holds the “Ba nanas” toy license and has al ready delivered the first group ofproducts toseveralretailers. Diana Teigiser, director of marketing for ‘Tomy, reports strong, sales of Bananas, in Pr jamas” items now in a limite ‘number of stores, and she consid- ers Toy Fair important for the continued growth ofthe toy line. “We have some sales history, but not real broad-based distribur tion, she says. “The trade under- stands it isa property with lots of appeal. By rolling out a big ex- pansion ofthe line at Toy Fair, we are showing our commitment to the property,”‘THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER FEBRUARY 14, 1996 Studio playtime at N.Y. Toy Fair By Monica Roman NEW YORK — Av retailers from around the nation shop the American Interational Toy Fair in New York this week, Holly- wood studios are using combi. tation of star power and ity par- tiesto get thelr products noticed. On Monday night, Saban Enter- tainment Ine threw a bash a the ‘Limelight to tout the aggressive marketing campaign behind “Power Rangers Ze, which wil debut April 20 on Fox, Saban is trying to keep the momentum foing behind the popularity Morphin Power Rangers” by developing a new iteration of the success proper ‘The current “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” will reach a cata- elysmicend Satur. By the time “Power Rangers Zeo" hits the air waves. Bandal America Ine. wl be ready wth anew line of action figures. Another 35 additional licensees representing more than 200 product categories will be parvo the marketing blitz MCA/Universal is bringing Dennis Quaid to the Toy Fait today to promote the merchan- ise supporting its ‘summer release of “Dragonheart” fanta sy adventure about an 1Soot high 4foot4ong dragon. “The studio that faded to have a “Babe” toy onthe shelves to capita ize onthe success of summer's hit about a talking pig sn tala any chances this time thas select ed. Kenner as the master toy licenscefor“Dragonhear hoping to repeat the sucess that the tay ‘anulacurer achieved in this forthe 1998 blockbuster film “Juras- sic Park Kenner wil marke ine at ecionfgures and plush toys in the likeness of Draco, the dragon, aswellasa cate play set compete ‘witha working drawbrige. Linda Berkley, senior vp bust ness development for NCA/Uni eral. said the studio believes Dragonheart will do for cragons wat arise Park di or While retailers are shopping the ‘Toy Fair with the 1996 holiday sel: ing season in mind, the studios are already thinking ahead to 1997, On Tuesday. TriStar Pictures selected Lewis Galoob Toyssas the master toy license for its scifi adventure "Starship Troopers. ‘A summer 1997 release, the film is being produced under an arrangement betwen TriStar and the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group. The tale of two high school sweethearts who join the armed forces ofthe future sbeing directed by Paul Verhoeven (Showgirls “Basic Instinct’) ‘At this years toy fir, Glob is showing merchandise inspired by Hanna-Barbera Cartoons’ “The val Adventures s" which will debut on three Turner Entertainment Network channels <— TNT, TBS and the Cartoon Network — ths fal, =TOLUCAN CANYON CRIER FEBRUARY 14, 1996 Hanna-Barbera's Cartoon "Quest" By FRANK BARRON One-of the most popular Continued from Page 6 this Pal . kick’ TV series of the 188032 back and’ nom seen on. ™Sarhis Palm Springs home, retuming 0 television this Nickelodeon's “Double Date” arent at ir North Holywood year, with “The Real Adven- and a new show ‘Off The home, yol - tures of Jonny Guest coming” Hook” will be the voice of thom’ exjovine thelsch ia from our friendly, neighbor- Jonny Quest. Neto Se hood cartoon factory, Hannah- red Seibert, president of also enj = Baers “Caroonay eis _ukihas ade ibe new $82, <7¥5 Boating ard bar ‘cated on Cahuenga Boulevard. ©" “Quest" part of his company's charter member of the Boy The new adventure series six-year plan to bring its clas- wil have teen heroes caught sie Characters to center stage, Sous Of America. up in exciting reablife myster- _-Last_year ‘The Flintstones” jes, as well as venturing into grabbed the spotlight and Sei- virtual reality. “And well be bert has declared that 1996 using computer animation will be “The Year of Jonny techniques uncommon in kids’ Quest." Fred has plans for The TV today,” according to Joe, Jetsons fo zoom into ‘97 and Barbera, ‘co-founder of “the the lovable Scooby-Doo to - ‘cartoon company with Bill reign over ‘98. Hanna. ~~ ‘And what about the boys “The show, which will debut who started it all? Currently, later this year, will make TV Bill Hanna_and Joe Barbera ‘are lending their individual ta i shown 21 history by Being shorday- ents to the studio's innovative Friday daytime strip on cable's World Premiere Toons project, TNT! TBS “Superstation and Series of 48° seven-minute Te carbon Newark. as well cartoon shorts which began we ae night show on the —_aing on the Cartoon Network fatter network It wil also run ‘ast February. Barbora ci. on TNT's Saturday afternoon rected the cartoon "Stay Out, featuring the Flintstones’ pet Dino, and Hanna helmed “Hard Luck Duck,” his first solo ‘outing since 1937. Joe has already written his lineup. "We're constantly changing things around," Barbera says, "to make each’ episode look like a feature film, We are us- tion techniques av¥obiography, ‘My _Life_in 1 anal eon Ty to Toons.” for Tumer Publishing jive a 3D effect. In all, we'll and now we can look forward fim 65 episodes at first, using to Bill's tome coming out this studios In Japan, France and, Pring, (called |"A Cast_of of course, the talented people Friends,” for Taylor Publishing. — wwe have at our studio here.” Barbera lives in Studio City Teen. star J.D. Roth, who with his wife Sheila and in his hosted the kids’ game’ show free time he enjoys writing and “Fun House” a few seasons —_'S working on his third play. He Continued on Page 17 2/80 UKes dining out and relax-ELECTRONIC MEDIA ELECTRONIC MEDIA FEBRUARY 19, 1996 CHICAGO, HL WEEKLY 28,000 FEB 19 1996 any FEGELES Toy licensing not just ese kids stuff anymore Programers shoot for hits on and off TV BY JON LAFAYETTE STAFF REPORTER ‘New Yor—The close relationship hetween kids ‘TV and toys is getting even closer. It’s like one hand washing the other,” said Peter Schmid, senior viee president of Saban Entertainment, which scored big ratings with ‘Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" on the Fox Children’s Network But more impressively, Power Rangers have rung up $1 billion in toy sales. With that kind of money at stake, toy makers at the Toy Fair in New York last week were sure to tell buyers when their latest ereations would be entering children’s living rooms via TV—and just which vehicles and weapons would be regularly featured Saban, in fact, had a party for toy buyers promoting how Power Rangers, both the show and the toy’line, will be revitalized as “Power Rangers Zeo,” and touting “Big Bad Beetleborgs,” which debuts in the fall on FCN, ‘The stakes are high for TV producers because a show's take from licensing can often exceed broadcast revenues “Thete no end to how much merchandise can be moved on a successful property,” said Joy jan, president of worldwide merchandising at DIC Entertainment, whose second-year show “Sailor Moon” is rare in that it aims to sell action, figures to girls. ‘When we go to make a series, we look at properties No. | for their entertainment valu Ms. Tashjian said. "Definitely, the merchandising comes right in second. Not only for revenues, but it creates tremendous consumer impressions.” Susan Frank, senior vice president of Hanna-Barbera, said Turner Broadcasting System ave tive green light to launch “The Real Adu ‘of Jonny Quest” before toy lieenser ‘Louis Galoob was selected ‘Tumer is spending $40 million to produce 52 episodes of the show, and revenue from toy sales could help recoup that eos. “Everybody's wish is to have a phenomenal hit. ‘And when you have that hit, the kids want it,” Ms, Frank said. ‘To be sure, many successful toys don't owe their sucegss to a Saturday morning eartoon, Maite] never limited Barbie by fixing her image ima show. Hasbro's Raggedy Ann and Andy also go on and on without eartoon support ‘But even hardy perennials can get a boost. Hasbro's Mr. Potato Head got hot once again after, being featured in the movie "Toy Story.” Hasbro has also added a new square-jawed line to its Superman collection to catch a ride on the new animated series coming to Kids’ WB. Even exposure on noncommercial PBS can create enough exposure to move toys for characters such as Barney and Big Bird, For the most part, having a TV show is one of the foundations of a successful toy launch, particularly an aetion figure, ‘The top new action figure lines last season had ‘TY shows, with toys based on “Street Sharks" and “Spiderman” both ringing up about §22,9 million 1m sales, and “Gargoyles” gathering $22.3 million. Mattel launched the Steet Sharks toy line in January, before the syndicated cartaon began air- ing in September to test the show's effect on sales, “It was very difficult and expensive” without the show, said Geoff Walker, assistant product manager at Mattel With a show, “you don't have to advertise quite as much," Mr. Walker said, ‘And without a show, the characters are less vivid, he said, “Kids don’t have a play pattern” making the toys less desirable, he said. Some toy companies work closely with the producers of animated series, Playmates, which developed “Earthworm Jim” as a video game before Universal Television created the Saturday morning show for Kids’ WB, suggests vehicles and villains to be featured. Many are destined to became toys. ‘Kids love vehicles,” said Jim Barber, brand ‘manager at Playmates, “Every studio is very different in how they manage the licensing,” Mr, Barber said, noting when it comes to Star Trek, Paramount allows little input and little leeway, ‘That doesn’t mean Playmates can't be creative sometimes: It got the OK to come out with a Star Fleet Academy action figure of "Next Generation’ Captain Pieard—with hair.?MULTICHANNEL NEWS FEBRUARY 19, 1996 Cable Makes Killing in Kids Upfront By LINDA MOSS De was. King in the C* ‘front market that just wrapped up 38 eloioon and turner En: tetainent Network carved oat bugger slices af, the chit deevanpie. Estimates on the Kids up front volume varied. Most ab servers gauged that the mar fet was up at more than 8100 millon, wih some puting i ts high as 8740 ion. Nick Glodents take of that jackpot Sosentimated acansere be: tween 8200 milion snd $300 milion ohn Popkowski,exeeutive vice president of a sales for MV Networks, wes mum on Specially, how much: Nick clodeon raked ns “We Diled tore than Fox" he said We arly. Alc ot ator Trane) was slid ous” Fox roporedly posted. $170 malon in kids upfont bast enya dora rr at Year ‘Last wee, Tamer had eom- iD TESTED: Jonny Quest and his dog Bandit were upfront draws for Tuer pleted the bulk of ts kids up- of Nickelodeon clients ex- the Sbite $0 percent range front deals, according to Kal tended the two-year deals gener has a batch of nex Kuechenmeister, senior vice that they struck last year ids programming. that its president of kids and syndico- bringing them into 1998. siding shelf tion sales at Turner Broadcast- Alot of people expanded neeworks this year: The Real ing Sales Tne. He sells ads on with us." Popkowskt said. eevee of Janke children's programming for The “They imew the supply was Jeg oa Oa Bag and Dexter’ Tare Cartoon, Network, TBS Sper down in legitimate vendors oe Staton Tamer Network Telev hands” Fionny Quest di figure as a sion and broadcast syndication Nickelodeon was also een a? Rraechenr We had a major increase in hawking ad packages for its Meteor said revenue," said Kuechenmels new primetime kids shows “a sales officials from USA ter adding that Turner was ‘Our primetime block was Narerk ouldat be reachol up 60 percent a hit” Popkowski said. “It for comment on the Kids up Niekelodeon kicked off and sald out” front wrapped up its kids business ‘ABC, OBS and Fox save “Al of the players in the kids Tatore anyone se, peor to ratings drops last year for market —- cluding the WB the upfront breakfast that it their’ Kids programming, Television Network, Disney held for agencies and sdver- while "Nickelodeon and UPN, Fox, ABC and CBS tisers last week. Essentially, Turner enjoyed. substantial Uae GER (cost per thousand during the upfront, a number double-digit ratings gains, in hhome) inereases. wowFAMILY CIRCLE FEBRUARY 20, 1996 Your." Animation tnna-arbera, the studio that Hiern intone clan: The Quest he es: Jonny, boy ndventure her: De Ques, his lobe toting dad Hed rend from | Ini; Race Ban . cret agent; Jessie, y's good an Ban oy andthe gang tel the plea tea an ita World adventures Before the show rion the airwaves turer Cabie Net work Tarner Hon > Han Fawnny Circ read cers to ereate a Quest adventure. In 25 words or less, follow fone oF more ofthe Quest team tie location and describe: the uve fighting one of more evil foes. Your plot must feature cutting-edge gadgets RERUER CY Creation and vehicles, The entries will be judged by Hanna-Barbera and Fanaty Circts. One grand-prize winner gets an alex: pense-paid trip for four to Hollywood ane VIP tour of the Hanna-Barbers phernalia go to the second- and third- place winners. For a copy of the official contest rules (and the winuers' lis, by August 1), send an SASE to: Quest, Box 512, Atlanta, GA 30301, Send entry to: Quest fr the Ultimate Adver ons, PO. Box 19997, Atlanta, GA 30825, All ntvies must be postmarked no later than April 1, 1996, anil iecome the proper- ty of Turner Home Entertainment/Ea Barbera, In Jonny invites to cookTV WORLD MARCH 1996 ieee Sees ‘cee companicr i this fils enim whieh hat jut old a 40% stake co ‘be breaking ner ground, there Works SK) with eswings Semsny experiment (paricustlr of Homer and Bar om al sngles SD and feleumne) kang place and these were then Keyed ino the sinullancouly computer The show achieved ‘Nina Hah, hesd of development higher stings than unl, but Elm s:Sanbow Entersinment, ier" Roman sve thas fares plant The crave takes have been for Tue Smpaun in 3D. sued with CD-Rom and compl ‘according to Mike Well, the mes. Kidehaves loemoreon programme's sumaton executive Suereo chem than right coll, rower "Le wat 3 big departure Sovetion. There it press set 10 zest sprout ¢h {rus fom our unl 3intcon, ‘uci was really ured ar panicle Ssds i ground amongall the & promote the shows.” ‘multimedia produc. Other producer ae looking to Pethaps the bet known 3 cehance gadtional 2D call, seumscon ReSoe! Gom Alistee. Srimation, and one popube ‘When the fie sexton of ReBoot techniques the ute of 3D wssmide three vent ago there backgrounds, such 34 n Sunbow's ‘sere strange eacuons to i Lewas —Taujomer: etme to shocking because ‘Doras Motion in New York People were not wed to eeing crested the 3D etc for parts of| foal computer generstod the series, but Haba feels wat in chases," ays Jeanie [seeping with the se of ha show, Cutewiks, vp European elevigon "We have alot of projecs in which sles st Alionce, sve ae wing CGI, batt Bur the 3D technique alone iso jniporane to only ute i adds co (gasntes afring sees and the propane,” as Haka "We ‘Aulance hs yer to secure 3US re eying co say sway fom doing bicker tore thied Reboor series, agg with new technology fr the lance there rng comaummieneta ake ot i die ont ABC which backed the "Tamer has ako used 3 mistuce of Previous two sens However, 20 aharacer:0n 3D baokoungt — Allsnee's UK pare, ITV, pebded by Fncey Toon’ broadeaster Meridian, has aleady ory for The Real Ad fecommusioned the rd sees, my Que Allance is nov aio beginning “Some predacaon companit re producuon ons teeond 3D ‘developing theic own sofware forTV WORLD MARCH 1996by Cyndoe Mller Senior staff writer Posiioning itself asthe place where sepia pe ip Jonaly "to the perperualty ‘Gee Papo ga ‘Sebring bles w wn er oe Kis edt etc cme ‘i ent oane a “The efor includes sarang das anew ine of hone ‘ideos an some seriou sly pro- ‘moans. There# even a Caroon Nes- sort Wels os Tem rounding Se NASEAR comple ‘aranduntr cmbasoed wth ins Batten camer races she pervs cecarbond go. afer tes yrs onthe arenes sow ihe cnet feat on aon ‘Nerwori at a brand that ean Be feed sad merchandved ad Cig Means render of arte 31 Garoon Nwork3 dion of “Tomer Broseong Sete, abana, “Beis swe werent ate let of bee cpde wo arnt bed Syn wance goin and peel bens Of pomenondl Pre os Creare Feng bebe nen bp Sing We Sian ye pl never on faye Bar now, auras Tr pewal eben tne te $F beef ova for tect ecaroons and noe peple re Shyune te pew nds anmason ron Naren ere pom arpereobe lage, Seirscorainy eorslone a prsusg Se merce Realepear The WB tears thecase Laney Tunes wel fs gen Spelbery "Auman tad moter, “Pay The Brat alorwch ve een po * ered ont everything fram MeDan- d's Happy Meal w> T-irs sold (he Warner Broce Sutio Sears “There's eso Nilblodeon, the megapopuls kids eable channel hat ‘hs sucessfully anaferre its reve ‘rencatirode ro both preduss and romonons. Bossing more han 450 rated produce, Meklodeo een hasan instore sounqee a¢ FAO. Seine ‘But MecAnth mid the nerwork’s edicadon wo eanoons se apart from se pack. "Our niche, our look, ‘ur dings all aroons al the ume ‘Thats nsarl place to diferena” amet peer ss opel toro ee tow neeecae= eae. Sao eee arma Sameer. Bonaueeeee “ery pejetes seunecreaters suc Eke Comen MARKETING NEWS MARCH 11, 1996 Cartoon Network on a ‘Quest’ to strengthen its __brand image {05 din Beawesoneattiearoonsse meio pride ere ther or have een showing spon ideo a mi the competion Caron Newer ‘As par of i over rsdn ‘et obrand all arth ou sou. te newer vl oe fain “When we po te ideo etd poi this summer ore wwecismownentupoftiem,” Dotan Theaters promonon. With ba Te enere, — thebarea es baabeomonr ose nd trpoes renin sear Neowork This where hy Tubes to lounge in Gey nek back ‘That ponomng is ranioreed with 484 watch the toons a comumed enairpromeconshurteam upyan- Fepresenatves of vanous hurseters ‘guscartoon characters to that “Top eRe around, (Cae®mughe appear tobe picking up See ephonetecarwie Jodriceon” — yeauteund nee i adioon ro raging ove ;TOONey propa. ine Hana:Barbsiray, Caron Ne. METOON prog Ln ‘festeag new lent through jo World Prem Toons" sweek- shor an MCA Roar eases ‘ye frag oh lesin amen Carmen Newer pres ENebenmeinee Sagem Neyepeeesn” criciwtimimummtone Beesee ree tlitemen ena oimeee “Staten emgecityemwviom: — twreicva Cert te Eticcdmengocss SxiwOtuere Giesmoiai tara” S@ebacnere ermine focus groups, BOO- = compilation of car~ slog eon — Seucamcs ply Online bullean board. and consumer ‘emi iene The = aan eee, yorts brand mame wis pose crea teonw xeged. Teiimaltanenih pe tmGiness Ekssorccnee. Smuccintiar Smee eee eacoces, isos See rote TE pe ts setoescrcce ts bas wo few brand personas. “Wwe secepeance umong fra” cele thenedewand clin Genel Cam EE the absurd, and ter would haveco ee big-name mariews dt ache bepartof dan" he sud {9g onthe Crroon Newwos’t Whensceane ue promo Potarfil rand fanctise ‘Soace Chae Const Cone” hich When the network debs Gninoanoerolkpentipoe- ecese easels ee hugh show host the neoeork wats SI malion print he: ber 1515 millon sow-muteang ca lew chad go for “spromodional Mp Sor will ei $3 re. guiggicsas quiiy sndbuaress Sans Gres Gaara She shows tensbiliy,” MeAnsh sed. Soapen scan Mi ier Seaieinmmlacsc canconchuncer fume Darke et intirung the plancartans nha aren Cs radeon a ‘Dark Side ofthe Ghos Planet Es- $5 mann packagcrop ink Bathe Ragants” Conponsored by Gefen Snack Catv wil oe eee Recor loalaltematie idioma: toon Newworl montanes oe goes TowerReconi thechow © Sounesonees fettrs ses combined wih 3D ‘echnolog. clips Bom the thow, and enti ae oe semen Nem oe fetetr Sr oes ora caer ure-ength fick wl Ye aaa for three months and came wach hm sdedioon Ques corue book ek ‘rapped tothe box. Tae nesvork ‘Bowl manager enesk in some ex- ‘asure ferns ater properaes bane dhsing ethers "Spree Ghost” at ver seecaon, ‘he Being aei of aroon carscteremedcolecoon tw be released by Tushtr Home En- ferauument “We're bancaly exend- ‘ng the brand that our amer eson basal” sid Rickard Pinson, nce Home Video crenag thane video Ineuats alii beeecencs dob: yp. na somewhat ‘Cron Newark wl put Ten Quarmfirkrurntenlen ~ diets free nga the eang athe very on wri of Sirs reais Seer errs rower the show vile aed ‘ivanew ty ne bo Globes elise wd mr conan oars. A Grcocs ‘ome chedsed be ne in 1 whch MeAnsh i weld pen ‘rhs prmosonlopprtvae Hane thy adic har 1 genuine anciston nee te ‘Good pram Ged Nara Soak redder Cochise Gleveind, which pecaices a he Bier ‘ods ping bea o te swe ited Geto bere pstbes ile eonfauon head ds area pong bay Joy Ques wih ‘afore what Carton Newrkis 92 ‘enor uses bunch of caresoes ec that channel "he mid, “The tore este oe ha own ‘beable vo create that added value.THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER MARCH 18, 1996 Turner lets Virgin put spin on new ‘Quest’ CD-ROM $1 mil marked for game based on toon By Scott Hattrick Just two months after closing its interactive unit, Turner New Media has licensed CD-ROM rights for what will surely be its highestprofile tile to date. Virgin Sound and Vision has started production ona $1 milion tile tentatively called, “Escape From Quest Worl,” which willbe based on Turner's upcoming new animated series from Hanna Bar. rely on violence, according to Turpin. The first two tiles in that series, “TerraTopia" and "Mysteri- fous Island,” are scheduled for release in August. ‘The new “Quest” ttle, which will carry a suggested retail price ‘$36.5, will feature clips, scenes and art from the new series that will be incorporated into an orig- nal story line with 2025 hours of ‘game play for adults or about 80+ beta. “The Real Adventures af 100 hours of game play for chil ‘ann Quest dren. The new series and the “The CD-ROM isthe latest ele frame depict Jonny Quest as a ment of Turner's companywite Oy Qi and ods teenager who now must interact “Tonny Ques! inatve tha was erage daughter of Dr. Amoredwo years ago. That Vin Sound and Vion CEO eats prtnce fe, wh Was inative was to be but around a Tom Turpin said his company isu Ctectd i the srgina cable lveaction feature fim fom Turn- working feverishly to meet @ movie produced for the USA cr Pictures based on the 1960s planned Oct. release ofthe new — Citre Network Drimetime cartoon TV" series twoedise “Quest” CD-ROM tite, TST win wait to see Fevolingaroundtheexaticadven- VSV wil handle all marketing, ~ yoy'veil iets verorme balers tures of an Ii-yearold boy who sales and distribution of the tile Row wed the Hie nesformes beter accompanies his scientist father ut will work with Turner on SOM ue stn heroes deal cin on hismissions around the world, rose promotions, Turner gives VSV the rights 1 Interestingly, that fim, which In Keeping with the focus on ersonat’ computer CD-ROM was to have begun production last _ children’s products by VSV,asub- fames based on the series for a Year, is sill languishing in the Sdary of Virgin Communications ames.taved on the seri fr development phase while many that is not part of former sister Yeo game versions of the tile other Turner movies have been company Virgin Interactive Enter. OO EAE VETSOnS OMe UNG pushed heat oft tainment thenew “Quest will Even a iveaction version of be aimed a youngsters ages 812. The letsons” another Hanna-_ But Turpin sid its the kind of Barberacartoon seristhatwasto” game that will encourage the par De ransformed for te big screen ciation of parents to help chil ater “Jonny Quest" is further dren solve some of the puzzles aiong"in the development stage, contained in the various worlds according to Turner Entertain: the player must explore. tment Group exe vp Susan Bin ‘The “Quest” CD-ROM will be ford. A liveaction “Jonny Quest” the third tte in VSVs new line of ‘movie will Ukely arive no earlier Virgin Adventure series, which than 1987 and wil now have to will feature action that does not stand on its own, Binford said Nonetheless, the company is proceeding with plans surround Ing the launch of the new animat- ed TV series, which is set to pre- miere simultaneously on three Turner cable networks on Aug. 26, also a year later than originally announced. Those plans have included the first home video release of episodes from the origi. nal series and the second TV ‘movie based on the series, which premiered on Turner's TNT cable network. A slew of licensing and merchandising projects are also under way.VARIETY MARCH 22, 1996 H-Bis showing its initiatives, literally By RITA STREET c¢ many animation houses, However, when Seibert arrived had the legs to expand into full- lanna-Barbera Cartoons has had in 1992, fresh from building blown cartoon series. Through its ups and downs over the years. MTV into a cable powerhouse, various focus groups, including Featuring a library of characters the studio was nowhere near the ‘an 800 number and Cartoon Net- powerful enough to touch the production mode in which it ager ‘work's American Online bulletin lives of four gomrations, the finds itself. Having gone through board, Hanna-Barbera was able to oer, fal 1 seal chang nome See oe pele doc Barbera, has always been a __Biwas in a state of flux and artists ovsly’s "Dewees ‘major player in the animation ‘were exiting at a furious pace. In ‘strong viewer 5 a ‘world aid fudeeds plotsered ke order to establish stability in both oe ee production of Saturday morning the business and creative depart- bo stern fe ‘TV eatooas inthe?s0e ments, Seibertbegana seven-year Shee eee De Tn tema opie Ta plan with a twofold mission: Give a oe Aral coral tice ove, Hamdan. tian exper. animators the creative freedom Tumer channels. A second shor, ‘enced some lean years since then that had been missing since the ‘Cow and Chicken,” also will be Bad the "tx have erg th 3 ae industry's Golden Era to make spun into a series in 1997, and the ‘back into the production equation new ‘cartoons, and reintroduce Sopipen expects bers to Rao ina bin wey, wega lenient, characters of the past to the chil suitin the future ccharacter-driven strategy of retum- dren of today. But fond memories remain the fag sone lis Vilage eee In order to create new char- backbone of Seiber's seven-year new formats and programs aimed ia a rete Herr and | = ‘equation. Most young and middle- ata new generation of viewers — ice artists back under his roof, adults remember the H- Adventures of Jonny Quest," tobe “What_a Cartoon” program, a TTumer officials said recent demo. ‘Sleees ere eet ace series of 45 shorts that air on the grephic testing conducted by the ‘Tumer networks, all of which are ears by new versions of “The Jet- epee ao creator-driven by animators lured. ‘company in 10 major cities showed sons" and “Scooby Doo*— and that **The Finsones” has a 98% sand ~Scouby Doo and to the studio, rather than par of pis Hlistones Teeraione a penal some specific executive mandate te 104% awarenes ratio, Tapping “Every great animator has told into this zeitgeist, Seibert began Cartoon" shorts program, the thar He ene tng he or ake what would later be called ‘That strategy, combined with pies Sir 1s week oh asoeron, “Turer-wide initiatives,” a new the broadcasting power of the minute cartoon,” says Seibert program recognizing and reinvent ‘Tumer empire, ‘which owns “rit has been the basic building. ing top characters and top shows in Hanna-Barbera, has made the ste block of our business — the new formats diobasierthan ever equivalent ofthe 21-minute pop The first “iniative™ out ofthe song. And the greatest thing blocks is “The Real Adventur af ‘Weare a cartoon stud develop and overordeaion a whch wl pera ‘anew series er Stations first and foremost, nota and production of that film pretty ths Bll The compary oss fi much solo."* the i fz family studio oran Seet minis that resting Gree ors yeah parioton Fa rs ofthenew “Ques.” animation studio. projects that emphasize freedom for animators also happens 10 be ‘good for business. He determined that forthe first time since the days When cartoons ran theatrically, ae there was money to be made in a shorts. And, best of all, because of rexy Fred Seibert fe are a cartoon studio first and foremost, not a family studio or an animation studio, Brery Eon Seber, “We have the company's marriage with sister e “at fe mp ea e Pr Tumer company the Cartoon Net- emselves on being animation swore it now baila Velie ee sudo, and thas fie, For us proikicenew snd old Ferri ofa ‘The network also became a ny which we ns. ‘convenient testing ground to see ifany “ Whata Cartoon" projectsIndustry swells, field crowds, tactics change By MICHAEL MALLORY It's been a long time since the animation industry has experi- enced a boom like the present cone. There are more outlets for cartoons than ever before, more studios jumping on the toon band- wagon, and the greatest audience awareness level in the history of the medium. So why are cartoon producers finding it harder than ever toget new shows on the air? ‘The business of animation in today’s marketplace is vastly dif- ferent from the bygone days ruled by the Big Three networks. Then, as Film Roman president Phil Roman recalls, “You could go to the network, sell them a show, and they'd give you the license fee to produce a whole show, and maybe even make a little profit on it. It doesn't work that way anymore,”” Cartoon producers now find themselves hacking through a jun- ale of business and financial chal- lenges, where the means of sur- vival include new corporate and advertising alliances, licensing packages and international co- production deals — essentially, new ways of doing business. The monoliths, ofcourse, have the advantage thanks to a built-in infrastructure dedicated to broad- casting, promoting, packaging, financing and merchandising a host of properties across various media boundaries. Tumer Broad- casting, for instance, uses a strat- egy of corporatewide ‘in tives" whenever launching a new program. Thus; the upcoming “The Real Adventures of Jonpy Guest” animated by Turner's Hanna-Barbera, is a Turerwide project. utilizing a specific mar- keting blueprint that includes just about all of Tumer’s divisions throughout the world, Disney, ob- viously, has mastered this. art form, VARIETY MARCH 22, 1996 ‘The smaller outfits, however, don’t have such inhouse power available to them. Thus, they are forced to get even more creative about business. “It's eal tough to get an unbi- ased look at your project, unless you come in with a heck of a package together that involves ‘merchandising and other kinds of tie-ins to help drive it,” says Tom Burton, president of indie Calico Entertainment, which chooses many of its projects, in part, on their licensing potential Merchandising has become the lifeblood of the toon industry for the simple reason that license fees tno longer cover the cost of pro- ducing a show. “There are more ‘outlets here than there were 10 ‘years ago, but they're also split- ting up the pie and can't afford to pay the same amount of money,"” explains Andy Heyward, presi- dentof DIC Entertainment. By far the biggest change has ‘occurred in the syndication mar- ket. which has been squeezed breathless by the new networks — Fox Children’s Network, Kids WB and UPN Kids —which have gobbled up stations willy-nilly and locked up most ofthe prime firstrun time periods. The pinch is being felt by all cartoon producers. working. in syndication, bigand small “There are so many boutique ‘operations and second and thitd- tier animation companies. and all of us are competing for the same halfhours in every market,” says Jeff Segal, president of Universal Cartoons, “It becomesa very com- Pettiveand dfficultmarket"" One result of this squeeze has been to give more leverage to broadcasters, who now expect producers t0 provide more than Just a show. “The stations are looking for what kind of support you are delivering with the pro- gram, whether it’s promotional Support, advertising support, de- livering characters for their local agrand opening, or providing con- test and sweeps promotions, says Saban president Elie Dekel “These are not just considered added bells and whistles, they're considered @ core part of the clearance process."* To gain leverage of their own, ‘some cartoon producers have en- tered into partnerships with ad- vertising agencies who will guar- -antee ad dollars to the stations on a market-by-market basis in re- turn for clearances. Among the first to use this strategy was Saban, which pacted with J. Walter Thompson to create its ‘Saban Network for Kids block. Even mighty Disney, whose “Disney Aftemoon”” contract with local stations around the ‘country expires in August 1997, ‘has turned to a partnership with Kellogg and the Leo Bumett Co. in order to maintain a presence in syndication thereafter. While pleased to be a continu- ing force in firstrun (which had been mandated by Disney chief Michael Eisner) with an 80% clearance rate to date, Buena Vista Television president Mort Marcus is not happy at being locked out of the choicest time- slots by the new kids’ networks, “It should really come down to what is the best show, and we would be happy to play in that arena, but we aren’t really in that anymore,”” Marcus says, “It's a sad state when you have to use an advertiser's clout in order to gain clearance fora show."”VARIETY MARCH 22, 199 the fall, following a yearlong marketing campaign involving all arms of the Turner empire. (For more on Hanna-Barbera, see story on page A18.)‘MetAtlanta Journal /The Atlanta Constitution The Atlanta Journal\The Atlanta Journal Constitution Sunday, March 31, 1996 BUSINESS Cartoon Network plays to a widening audience Rjumber of cable subscribers has almost tripled in last 18 months -By Charles Haddad STAFF WAITER +d show biz, two years can be a Just ask Space Ghost, once a ‘cartoon has-been relegated to the wack pages of_Henna-Barbera’s slibtary of characters. "evThen, the fledgling Cartoon ‘Network tapped him two years ‘agd’as the host of a unique talk 10%, in which Space Ghost inter- its the likes of comedian Emo “Philips and rockers Sonic Youth, " Wacky and irreverent, Space -Ghpst became the talk’ around ‘office drinking fountains and ying sets alike. The Cartoon :Nejwork nearly tripled its num- ‘ber of cable TV subscribers to 25 ‘million-plus in the past 18 smpnths. ‘va Not all the credit goes to Space Ghost, though he'd probably ith forms ou tobe pret popular and Disney tums cut to always he numer ane on thst Int 1 ont fee have tot ch ae on a yame andi will spar tn few month” a ris mpm licensor in ways, as wel, accord number ot other Sell Cleary: vice president of Micro Machines. 2 division of Lewis Galo, Micro Machines livenses ine clude Star Wars, Star Tr, Aliens. Predators. Ura Free and ns Jonny Ouest. All hese properties ate known for strong stories behind their movie o€ TV sho “As you can tell from our licenses. we look for what you ‘might call a lo of "lassie" ones, Hieenses that are going 40 ist rnumber of yeas. if not decates.” says Cleary. “On new propery. continued on page 66ANIMATION MAGAZINE MAY 1996 ‘we fook for an item that will yen erate lot of excitement and has the potential of converting into & lassie propenty as well as inital. ly catching the public's attention, “owas Quest is both. I's a classic property but Tamer Enter- ‘ainment and Hanna-Barbera are Putting out something that's brand fnew. Their new show is all-new { Snimation, all-new stories... it ives us @ lotto work with, They £ have given usa lotto play with, |AS far as Cleary is concer, Slrong sory is just as important as how much marketing muscle the Hicensor has ‘One of the areus that we find, ‘extremely exciting is the Quest! World. As you know, the Quest World is 4 vinual reality word, it only has Jonny able to explore the real world, he cam also go any’ Where in the mind oF the universe There's ino place Jonas Quest cat ‘We can nov do toy sets based ‘on specitic_lonny Quest adven- tures, I makes our job Tot easier Al the toys we will come out with this fall will be based on specitie episodes you'll see, That means ids will havea builtin, automatic Slory line with our toy’ and they ‘ean relate it tothe shows they just “Micro Machines isa litte df ferent from our Male Action lines Micro Machines has always been particularly vehicular-based line. Our toys have had 10 have some kind of cars oF other vehi- cles attched to them, We ate only Starting to getaway from that with ‘our new playsets. A good example ‘of thore playsets is the Star Wurs heads that open up to reveal an environment and six oF so figures and one vehicle on the inside" Seeing Quest 21 times a week fon Cantoon Network, TBS and ‘TNT doesn't hurt either ‘What makes hit at Toy Fair ig combination of a good story and setious marketing muscle behind ft Tak toa licensge andl they will ive you hoth those reasons for fhe qualifies they look for when they are think Hicensor untold millions in up front livensing revenue Tha a way of making your Product the next Toy Fair power. house about licensing,Wednesday , May 1, 1996 Stitches Magazineoy Me «CARTOONS ON THE [BAY: DIAMALFI PRESENTATI | FILM PYM DI DOMANI SORRISI E CANZONI TV MAGGIO 5-11 1996 Grandi CART ONE su piccolo eartoni animatt alla Flscossa. Tenuto a attestmo dal pres dente onora Barbera (creatore “Gel Orso Yoghi e dt Braccobaldo), riseal- dato dal sole di Amaif, Phnato ad aprile lo scoppiettante festival sCartoons on the Baye, prima edizione di tna manifestazione fannueale tulta dedicata al einema di aniinazio- he spettacolare, ‘Come per Incanto, la bella Amalfi ha visto patria sl su0 lungomare uno stuolo dierol di eartone pro- ‘enlent dai Page autor! ¢ produttor! Crerano i veteran, co. tne i gato Silvestro, © ospltl deecezlone del ealibro del xGobbo al Notre Dame», ghiotia Bilancio pid che positivo della prima rassegna: la Pimpa ha vinto il Pulcinella d’oro, ma sono tantissime le novita che vedremo presto sulle reti Tv. Ecco le anticipazioni anteprima della stren- na Disney del prossimo Natale. Al gran com- _lanciata. pleto anche la colorita -Erano ben $7 ifilme banda Hanna-Barbera, le serie che concorre- capeggiata dal presi- vano all'aggiudicazione dente Fred Seibert. ‘dei premi Puleine!- Soprattutto Amalfi, \ ff/la: fra | trionfatori, Fra convegnt In cagnolina Pimps dl espertie ay ye «La famiglia Ia publi Spaghetti», una cazione del- nuova serie che Ia «Carta di "Brune Bozzetto Amalfis su car- sta sviluppando per la toon e violenza (ve- Rai. Fra | cartoni del ia lato), ha avuto Duemila certo tro- ilmerito di presen- y, veremo tare concretamente in societa tante giovani promes- «at fe pronte al debutto Moltii nuovi ero italia nk: dees per In loro rhascita gli aiuti giunti to allo stato di abbozzo, dai programma dell'U- Ma dope tenti anni di nione europea sCar- prodotti americant e toons e dal sorprenden- Eiapponesi acquistati te dinamismo produtti vo di una Rai davvero GPa antes SF creazion’ italia . ne: alcuni progetti, ‘come gli «Astrokids» del papa di E.T. Carlo Rambaldi, sono soltan- dai colossi stranieri, i. nalmente le nostre reti Ty, Rai in testa, stanno preparandoci sorprese dawvero... animate di propria produzione. Telepibembini tra- sformera la propria mascotte felina «Otto pit» in un cartoon, di ‘cui verra trasmesso a giugno il primo episo- dio-pilota, Vautunno vedra il debutto eu Raiuno delfatesoeroe Hanna-Barbera «Jonny Quests. Canale $ ospi- ‘era, durante la prossi ma stagione Ty, le av venture di eCalimero Valerianos, gran ritor- no del celebre puleino nero firmato Pagot. A Natale ecco arsivare su. schermo Raiuno I’atteso film La freccia azzurran, con la colonna sonora scritta da Paolo Conte. Ma la Rai punta anche sul enostro» Lupo Al- berto: la prima serie di 52 episodi sara pronta nel ‘97. Lautore del Lu- o, Silver, & entusiasta della produzione, che yerrd animata da‘Giu- seppe Lagana, grande firma delf'anima- zione. Ma tutto id 8 solo linizio: il piccolo scher: mo ospitera an- che le avventure di Sandokan e di Corto Maltese, per salpare verso fantasia, Federico FleceoniSORRISI E CANZONI TV MAGGIO 5-11 1996 A leo, la grinta di «Jmmy Quest, versione | ‘Ani 90 del celebre ragazzino cfeato da Hanma.e Barbera negli Arn 60: dal prossimo ‘auto su Raiuo, Pika sinista, ecco sullo ‘ im before Mn Spints The- tier November 5: “Mina and thé Count,” by Rob Renzetti stess Mark Hamill a. the ‘Count, whose "biting sched ‘le"aranged by his assis tant Igor (Jeff Bennett)—is hhampered by an evening of tea parties and hide & souk ‘with charming seven-year old named Mina (Ashley Sctmecal, = 4 jovember 12; “Cow an Chicken” {originally “Cow ‘and Chicken Go to Hell"), written ond directed by David Felse. Siblings Cove and Chicken are in for a devil ofa time. Cow/Chick- en/Devil: Charlie. . Adler; Mom: Candi Milo; Dad: DB, Baker; Cerberus: Jeff Harnell. “Upcoming is) SBoid. a ‘Wiim,” created, when a directed by. Miles Thomg- on. While deiving trough the dese fe Calorie, Boe mpson) picks up hitey- hiker Woim (Tom: Fahn). ‘Afar a car wreck, Boid soon perceives: Woim as a tasty morsel. Originally sched Uuled for November airing, the short will instead be shown early next your Carzentiy in production: Ralph Bakshi “Tales of the City" and "Babe, He Calls Me” are in the “tinkering” stage. Bakshi has a five-short deal with the World Prat iiere Toons program. “The Worm” (a.k.a. “Tales of the Paranoid Worm"). by Eddie Fitzgerald. Parenoid Johnay Worm (Pat Pinney) Seeks vengeance upon those who would step upon him. Sally: Mary Gross “Pizza Boy" (formerly Pizza Jerk"), by. Rob Alvarez. "The" Pizza Boy (Gary imo has to delivers pizza to the Arctic Circle in five minutes. Dad Philip Hayes: Stewardess/Fomale Eskimo: Candi Milo, Male Eskimo/Guard/Gotor: Brian Cammings: Boar/Dog/ Priest Gregg Borger “Bloo's Gang,” by Mike Milo and Harry Mclaughlin. Bloo the dog roams up pirate adventure. for his Eanine chums. Simon/ Cat‘ruck Driver: Nick Jame 4; Bloo/Man/Cat #2: Berg er Stinky/Elmo/Bloo's Owner: ‘Welker: Scully: Mike Milo. johnny Bravo and the anaat Women by Van Partible, Hunky Johnny Bravo (Bennett) visits at {sland of gorgeous women. Christopher: David L. Lan- der; Melissa: Brenda Vac- ‘caro; Nezrator/Captain/Man #2: | Maurice LeMarche: Cindy/Amazon! _. Melissa singing: B,J, Ward. Layout: Partible and Butch Hartman; Partible and ‘varez: Boog Partible and Thompson, Podunk Possum in "One Step Beyond,” directed by Joe Orantia; written by Oran tis and Elizabeth Stonect- phet. Simpleton Podunk Possum (Denver Pyle) gets duped into buying 8 broken- down chicken coop com- plete with some paranoid Chickens, only to find that the countryside is crawling ‘with Feds, ghosts and aliens. “iajor Portions: Mays Nutter; Alen #1 and) #2/Fed Agent/Cop: Berger; Winone: Kath Souci awfully Lucky." created and directed by David Doi producer, SWAT Kats). Luthor (im Cummings), a jerk, takes possession of the ‘Paradox Pearl.” This black- andeivhite poatl bestows its downer with extra good luck Unfortunately, this is, fol- lowed by extra bad luck Ghietiexplorers #2. & #2: Gummings: Old Man/ Chou feur/Caok: Jameson: Fisher than/Doctor/Husband: Adler, Nature/Sultry Woman: Nancy Linas, “Sledgehammer _O'Pos- sum Whats Going ow Back There?” by Pat Ventura, in which the opossum is Caught in a winter storm and takes sholter in a mailbox— which upsets Ethel, the mail carrier, After some contro- vetsy with the first "Sledge- hhammen" short, the follow: 3p finished.” production, since it was already close to completion ‘Other ‘upcoming: shorts detailed in COMICS SCENE #52: "Help? by Brund Bozzetto; "Strange Things," COMICS SCENE JAN-FEB, 1996 by Mike Wellins; "Hillbil Blue.” by Michael Ryan and Hartman: “The Grest Egg ape," by Joe Barb ‘wind-up Wolf.” by: Bil Hanna; Crime 101" by Craig MeCracken; “Blamiio the Clown,” by Bugene Mattos’, Currently in pre-produc: tion: “Gramps.” by Mike Ryan and Hartinan; “The Chicken from Outer Spac by John Dilworth; “Swamp and Ted." by John Rice; “Zoonatiks,” by Joey Ahlbum; "Ignoramooses," by Milo and Mclaughlin; “God: by Z: Mon- John Mcintyre; “Larry’and steve,” by Seth’ McFarlane Jungle Boy,” by Partible; and “Tumbleweed Tex,” by Alvarez Dexter's Laborato eipleder io @ anno the fisst “breakout” from Hanna-Barbera's World Pre- sere ‘Toon project, Next “Apa, six halfthour episodes ‘willcir on three Tumer ot: works: TBS, TNT and the Cartoon Network. “Dexter's was. the first short to,alh'on te Cartoon ‘Networks stir high Tumer executives Gnalyzed feedback from focus groups, 1-800 phone lines, Ametica Online reac tion and consumer promo- tious during the summer that included a 10-city “Divecn “Theater” tour and traveling “Goal Toons Mobile.” This year, “Dexter's Laboratory” Wes honored with en Emmy ‘Award nomination, only to bbebeaten by The Simpsons Boy genius Dexter was created by first-time director Genndy Tartshovsky, & 25- farold graduate from Eas wg os le worked on 2 Stupid Dogs, The Critic Shay Toon Adventures and Batinen: The Animated Series. Hanna-Barbera’s president, Fred Seibery, is romoling- TaAGESTSRR, at Ri stdice new startet unlike rival studios who ‘smother thelr artiste in cor orate anonymity PoffannaBarbora is so delighted with Tanakovely theyre allowing him a spin offacries that ost e tested fs 0 s0l0 short: Dial “M1” “Monkey,” sandwiched in between two seven-minute Dexter cartoons. Monkey is tho star chimp (voiced by— who else—Frank Welker, equipped with superpowers to save the world from such villains as Macho Man (wrestler “Randy Savage). Monkey was created by Tar- takovsky, Craig McCracken (Powerpuff Girls) and Paul Rudish (Super Secret Secret Squirel) If it's popular enough, Dexter Laboratory may expand to a weekday strip for 1997. ‘Now in Bookstores: In October. Hyperion released The Mlusion of Life, a reprint of the 1981 edition written by two of Walt Disney's leg- endary supervising enima- tors, Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston. it has been fout of print for more than five years, and those fortu nate to find a copy have had to pay up to $500 for it ‘Why? I's considered to be a key resource for students of animation and Disney fans The 576-page hardback is loaded with hundreds of black-and-white and color illustrations and photos, ‘with text describing practi: cally every facet of produc. tng an animated fetare at ney, including develop- ment of character, story. music, special FX and the camera depariment. This classic book can be yours for 560. Disnoy's Toys for Christ- amas: What do toys do when ids aren't around to play with them? They come te 1if.—at least, they do in Dis new’s Tay Story, a comody- adventure created and directed by John Lasseter. ‘The studio cals this the first full-length foature created ‘with computer-generated animation. Its also the first fof a three-picture deal be- tween Wall Disney Feature Animation and Northern California-based Pixat. They previously collaborated in Goveloping CAPS (Computer ‘Assisted Paint System), for which they won a special technical Academy Awerd in 092 Every toy fears that they'l be replaced by newer toys. ‘Such isthe case when a pull- string cowboy’ named Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) is threatened by his owner's Tatest acquisition, action fig- ture Buze Lightyear (Tim Allen), To Woady’s chagrin sixyearold Andy (John Morris) gives Buzz more attention, and Buzz is liked by their fellow toymates: Slinky Dog (Jim Varney), hottempered Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles), insecure dinosaur Rex (Wallace Shawn), stubborn piggy bank Hemm (John Ratzen- berger) and figurine lamp Bo Peep (Annie Potts), who happens to light up Woody's life, Meanwhile, Buzz insists he's not a toy but a space ranger just landed on an alien planet. Wood tries to dispose of Buzz, but his plans backfire and they find themselves lost in the outside world, They're forced to overlook their differences as they try to return to the safety of ‘Andy's bedroom. Director Lasseter won an. Oscar in 1988 for "Tin Toy,” and wes nominated for another in 1986 for "Luxo, J" Toy Story’s producers are Ralph J. Guggenheim and Boninie Amold. Randy New- man wrote and performed the film's score and three songs. Based on an original story by Lasseter, Poto Doc- ter, Andrew Stanton and Joe Ranftt, the screenplay was written by Joss Whedon, Stanton, Joo! Cohen and Alex Sokolow. Look for a dotailed article on Toy Story in STARLOG #221 and the movie in theaters this month. —Bob MillerCOMIC SCENE JAN-FEB, 1996VIDEO AGE FEBRUARY 1996 Toon Time Calling all animators - the search is on ‘or new cartoon legends! Hanna-Barbera hhas combined its creetive talents wilt ‘The Gartoon Network to help reintroduce ‘the production of cartoon shorts. in a {uest for new European animators, Hanna-Barbera has launched the World, Premier Toons projec, 1 Nelp create ‘onginal programming and new characters forthe network. ‘The three year plan aims to resurrect the traction of past animation teams that created such cartoon legends as Tom & Jeny, whereby a creative unit, including a director, a wnter and artists focus on producing a new and orginal ‘Seven minute short. The project opened the door for 48 new animated strips, of which 28 have alreaay been completed. So far. ie search for new characters has proved to be hugely successtul World Premier Toons. currently showing ‘clude The Powerpuff Girls - schooigiis endowed witn supemiero qualities - wno regulary skio schoo! in order to save the worl: the Emmy nominated Derters Lab, which, due to popular demans ‘being expanded into six half hour ‘canoons: and other wacky characters, ‘such as Shake d Fick and the a singing. ail Gancing Pfsh & Chi Contact Hanna-Barbera on 00 2 213 436 3004, ‘Toe Word Premier Toons proectinitited by Hanna Baroera sa teviation to oximator: ‘wordide to become erator ofthe Tom & Jerr of to 19908VIDEO AGE FEBRUARY 1996 Toon Time Calling all animnxors - the seertn is on for new cartoon legends! Hanne Barbera has comOINeS IS Crealve talents with Tne Canoon Network to help reintroduce the production of canoon shorts. In a quest for new European snenstors. Manna Bubera has launched the Worl! Bremicy Toons project. to help create ‘enginal programming and new characters for the network. The three year pian aims tw resurrect ‘the tradivon of past animation teams that created such cartoon legenas as Tom & Jerry, whereby a crestive unit. inctuding a director. 0 writer and anists focus on producing @ new and original seven minute snort, The project openes the oor for 4B new animated strips. of weuch 28 have already been completed. So ter, the searcn for new characters has proved to be hugety successful. Word Premier Toons currently showing swciude The Powerpuft Guts = schootgir's endowed vIn superhero qualittes - who Teguiany sk:p Scnool in order to save the word: the Emmy nominated Deaters: Lab. which Cue to popular demand. is ‘being ExDNCED into six half hour cahoons: and other wacky characters, Such as Shaxe & Flick nd the all singing. all Gancing Phish & Chip. Contact Hanna-Barpera on 00 2 223 €36 3002BROADCASTING & CABLE FEBRUARY 12, 1996 Cartoon Network adds three series ‘Quest,’ ‘Dexter’ and ‘Big Bag’ are newest entries By Jim McConville the Cartoon Network, TBS and ‘TNT—will be adding three new shows to its weekly kids programing schedule this year. The new shows are Dexter's Labo- ratory, The Real Adventures Of Jonny” Ques! and Big Bag. Seheasiear eS launch April 29 on Cartoon Network, ‘TNT and TBS. Dexter's Laboratory is the first breakout cartoon series from ‘Tumer's “World Premiere Toons” pro- Ject of shorts and the first Tumer short to be expanded into a half-hour episode, The Cartoon Network and Turner owned animation studio Hanna-Bar- bera intially will produce six half-hour episodes of the series and are eying it as a possible Monday-Friday strip for 1997. Episodes of Dexter's Laboratory will be paired with a Dexter spin-off: Dial M for Monkey, Turner's Jonny ‘Quest. & second-generation version of the Hanna-Barbera “60s prime time series, will debut weekdays on the Ci toon Network. TBS and TNT start in late August Big Bag. a joint venture with the Children’s Television Workshop. will launch June 2 on the Cartoon Network. ‘The show. a weekly, commercial-free hour educational series. is the Chil- dren's Television Workshop's first preschool series since Sesame Street ‘The show will combine five live studio hosts. new Jim Hensen-created Mup- pels. six animated shors and music. ‘The Cartoon Network will be in ‘more than 32 million homes for the Tx Entertainment Networks— new season, up from 8 million homes when it launched four years ago, says ‘TBS's Karl Kuechenmeister. Kuechenmeister says the Kids upfront market for cable has so far not been a “runaway freight train.” “I'm not sure it will be as big this year because so many network suppliers are down in their ratings delivery versus last year. It’s going to be tough for some of them.” But Kuechenmeister predicts “huge” upfront share migra- tions from networks down in the rat- ings to those that are up. “Nickelodeon and Turner stand to do the best this year at the expense of Fox. Disney, ‘ABC, CBS, USA and Family Chan- nel,” he says Nickelodeon this year was again the center of attention, bresking the kids upfront advertising market a week earlier than anyone else (Broapcastin & Cante, Feb, 5) and selling nearly 50% of its inventory of commercial time within the first Week, including four prime time deals running through 1998, according to John Popkowski, senior vice presi- dent, ad sales, for Nickelodeon parent MTV Networks Since Nickelodeon last year cut upfront deals that run through third quarter 1997, Nickelodeon executives were taken a bit by surprise by the fur- ry of interest this year. “We didn’t think that we would be this active, but a lot of people approached us wanting to extend their base deals from last year through third quarter 1998.” says Pop- kowski . ‘Jonny Quest’ Is among the new adaltions fo Tumer’s Certoon Network.TOLUCAN FEBRUARY 14, 1996 Hanna-Barbera's . Cartoon ''Quest' By FRANK BARRON One of the most popular Fred Seibert, president of kids’ TV series of the 1960s is © HB, flas made the new . retuming to television this “Quest” part of his company's year, with “The Real Adven- six-year plan to bring its clas- tures of Jonny Quest” coming _sic characters to center stag from our friendly, -neighbor- Last year “The Flintstones hood cartoon factory, Hannah- grabbed the spotlight and Sei- Barbera Cartoons, "inc., lo- ert has declared that 1996 . cated on Cahuenga Boulevard. will be “The Year of Jonny The new adventure series Quest.” Fred has plans for The will have teen heroes caught Jetsons to zoom into ‘97 and up in exciting reablife myster- the lovable Scooby-Doo to jes, as well as venturing into —_—_—reign over ‘98, virtual reality. “And welll be ‘And what about the boys using computer animation who started it all? Currently, ° techniques uncommon in kids’ Bill Hanna and Joe_Barbera TV today,” according to Joe. are lending their individual tak Barbera, cofounder of the ents to the studio's innovative cartoon’ company with Bill World Premiere Toons project, na. @ series of 48 seven-minute The show, which will debut artoon' shorts. which’ began later this year, will make TV airing on the Cartoon Network history by being shown 21 last February. Barbera di- times a week as @ Monday- rected the cartoon “Stay Out” Friday daytime strip on cable's featuring the Flintstones’ pet TNT, TBS Superstation and Dino, and Hanna_ helmed ‘the Cartoon Network, as well 4 ck Duck,” his first solo as a late night show on’ the ‘outing since 1937. > latter network. It will also run ‘Joe has already written his ‘on TNT's Saturday afternoon autobiography, “My Life in lineup. Toons,” for Tumer Publishing * “We're constantly changing and now we can look forward things around,” Barbera says, to Bill's tome coming out this “to make each episode look spring, called “A Cast of . like a feature film. We are us- Friends,” for Taylor Publishing. ing animation techniques Barbera lives in Studio City ever before done on TV, to with his wife Sheila and in his give a 3D effect. In all, we'll free time he enjoys writing and film 65 episodes at first, using jis working on his third play. He studios in Japan, France and, also likes dining out and relax- at course, the talented people > We have at our studio here.” aj lag a lea Teen. star J.D. Roth, who 7 , aren't at their North Hollywood hosted the kids’ ‘game ‘show ee ee tant ad “Fun House" ou, can "run House’ a few seasons them ejoying thelr ranch Nicetodgon's “bowie Dare’ Nother | Caifomia. ame nda new show “of "The “260, enjoys boating and bar Hook" wil be the voice of Bershop_ singing and is Jonny Quest. er Ser ey, Soueuranice,LOS ANGELES TIMES FEBRUARY 16, 1996 . MORNING REPORT Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, national and {international news services and the nation’s press. ‘The Chicken From Outer §} hich won an Oscar nominaiion on ‘Tuesday Tor best animated short film, gets its TV debut on Sunday at 4 p.m. on the Cartoon = Network’s “World Premiere Toons.” Written and directed by John. 2B. Dilworth, the short features a cowardly dog named Courage "who battles’ with a beady-eyed chicken from outer space. . James Cromwell, who picked up a surprise best supporting actor ‘Oscar nornination for his role in “Babe,” will guest star Monday on the Fox comedy “Partners.” . . . Another surprise Oscar nominee, lichael Radford (“Il Postino"), directed tonight's episode of NBC's ‘Homicide: Life on the Street.’FARM 2 DAIRY SALEH, OH weckLy "25,400 FARM & DAIRY FEBRUARY 22, 1996 res 22 1995 Hanna Barbera creations well known BurgeLLe’s -2492 —— COLLECTIBLES [any L Riker, ear of Waren Amerces Colecibies William Danby Hanna and Joseph Roland Barbera, why do these names Ting bell? While collectors may not be familiar with these gentlemen as indivdvals they centanly know theit creations — Huckleberry Hound, Yogi and Boo-Boo, Fred, Wilma, and Pebbles Flintstone, Jonny Quest, and Scooby-Doo. Collectors and scholars currently are accessing who as exer ised the greaest influence on the seneraions. of Saturday. morning television canon show youngsters — Manna and Barbera or Walt Disiey? Betting money f on Minna, and Barber Recently, | attempted to research the fives of Bill Hanna and Joe Barber, and the Tisiory of thei Hanna-Barbera caroon empire. was Surprised how difficult i was Piece here. piece thre. Indvidu and » company af their imponance ‘deserve beter Reluctant studios. My pursuit of knowledge led me to the Hanna: Baihsa Studios where 1 led with Kan Ears and Mare Grossman the publieny department. [old Marg of the increasing imerest among cole leciors in. Hanns-Barberg licensed products and afeling that beginning With the 1960s Hanna and Bi may be Disney's equal in influencing children “Have you been talking with my bosses? Mare asked. “Nos” [ responded,“ the collectibles market. plan to devote thre columns to Hang and Barbera, This columa explores their” personal lives and working relationship, the second will look atthe company ate, and the third wi RINKER —on— leading characters in the Hanna: ‘Bashers cartoon stable. Muci of the first two columas comes from press releases provided by’ Karen Faris on behalf of Hanna-Rarhera. Studios. Credit where credit is due. 1am pla- giarizing freely because 1 believe ‘muctr of the information will be as ‘new (0 you as it was to me, Willi was bom ‘on july 14, 1910, in Melrose, NM. A collegian during the Depression, he studied structural engineering briefly before a lack of finances foreed him to end his studies. 4 talent for draw- ing landed him a job at the Harman- Ising animation studio in 1930. Hanna worked there for seven years. Joseph Rol was bor in RE RT Be Nitcoeh enamored with drawing, Barbera ini- tinlly worked as an accountant at a Jaw firm following his studies at the ‘American Institute of Banking. He Tost his job as a result of the Depression. Alter a brief stint as a ‘magazine cartoonist, Barbera, joined the Van Beuren studio in.1932 where Ihe helped animate and script Tom and Jerry. Original Tom and Jerry human. The original Van Beuren ‘Tom and Jerry cartoons featured two zany human characters who found themselves constanily in weird and strange situations. MGM's Tom and Jerry, the cartoon with which most of tus are familiar, stars a cat and a ‘mouse. Cartoon historians see a clear linkage between the two. They should 1937 was a magic year for Hanna and Barherg. MGM was organizing a new cartoon unit in. Hollywood. Barbera headed west and joined MGM as a scriptwriter and later an animator. Hanna, one of the fist MGM staff members, directed many of the Captain and ‘Kids canons, collaborating with William Allen. 1k was not uni 1938 that Hanna and Barbera were frst teamed togeth- ef, Their frst project was Galpin Gals. n 1939 Hanna and B laborated again, this time of “Puss Gels the Boot” the cartoon that would propel Tom, the cat, and Jeny, the mouse, to caroon stardom. From this point forward, Hanna. and Barbera were inseparable. During the next 18 years, Hanna and Barbera worked together on more than, 200 Tom and Jerry eancons, ‘eaming seven Academy Awards in the process. The pair ‘won critical acclaim in the 1940s a their cartoon characters danced with Gene Kelly in the motion pictures “Anchors Away” and “Invitation to Dance” and with Esther Williams inthe film angerous When Wet” When MGM's Fred Quimby retired in 1956, Hanua.and Barbera were placed in charge of all MGM's cartoon produc tion. ‘Out on thelr own. In 1957, ater being with MGM for 20 years, Hama, and Barbera struck out on their own ‘Their goal was to develop caroons for television, a mediim they saw as an opportunity for a new animation syle and the introdtion of a host of new cartoon characters. Their inde- pendent Hanna-Barbera Studio would define the an of television animation. anna contributed his talents in respect to personnel management and comic tempo. Bacher added skilled ines hdl of roon od py on-air promotons done up ina {xpath server to rence enetwors dentty with viowes "When they put the chanel on the air,” McAnsh said, “they know #85 he Cason Nerwork snd hope- fll they go ack ™ Beste sme othe cartoons c= sherareor hve been shown op oe the compeidon, Caoon Network "sto rand feels their te ome. When we pur them wid our look we en nership of them” hesaid.“Ther home ion Caron Neswork. This where they ine FRI Newly eyberized “Jonny Quest” leads $15 mil Won cross-mar- keting bit,MARKETING NEWS MARCH 11, 1996 “Our niche, our look, our thing is all cartoons, all the time. That's “Dexter's Labo- Tatory” follows the adventures of a boy genlus, ‘in Cartoon Net- work's anima (ed short. Dexter 's touted as the network's frst breakout star. That posing is reinforced with onzarpromotons that team up var= ous cartoon choracters so that “Top Cat" might appear tobe picking up the phone ro hat with “fod oh.” Inadditon to reigning over the. Hanae, Conan Ne is"World Premiere Toons,"2 week- Is sens esuring the lest tn acumat. edi shors. Now the network is ball knew had to go fr“ promosona unl that's a quirky ad ae the show's sens, NeAnah a Se the inergalciearroonchacoer ishing the planetariams wi “Dark Side ofthe Ghost Panet Ex srwaganzs " Cosponsored by Getta Records foes alematve nde Sons, and Tower Records the show feaures lasers combined wath technology ips fom the shows ond music videos—al presidency br Fooine ns frst breakout star in “Des: " tees Laboraror.” which follows the Sane video image of Space Ghose ventures of a boy genius who eon ‘ocsall sons of eroowy inventions in his bedroomy/science lab, Based on fedhack from focus groups, 80. Phone lies. the network's America Online bullean board, and consumer Promouons. che shore will be expand el nto new half-hour episodes. ‘The series debut will be marked with a ‘major markeaing push, but MeAnsh ‘ould’ divulge details. only svang i would be “prety erazi” Whether is promotions or li ‘ensed products, which the nerwork $s mst starting to get into, whatever Cartoon Network is associated with has to fits brand personality. “We ¢elebrate the ridiculous and revel in ‘the absurd, and they would have to be pare ofthat.” he sid When it came me to promoe Bae Geno Ca "hh ‘avares the former “GOs supethero re- ist into an ever-so ip and flip lates rught talkshow host the network As pan ofthc overall banding suatgy. the nerwork wil nee ein head poolside eis summer for Dive-in Theaters promoson, Wh the deck done up n'a bamboo meet and theatereoer receiving ner tubes o lounge in they ea lek back and wach the toons as comme fepresentaoes of vanouschancers se sound Cartoon Nerwork as ishing the madiunal theaters troughs MaTOONays progam Insooen fram being rexed a General Crema ees "World Promicre Trea shore an MCR Records mas oes and Caron Network promee Shown with family ortenad faare Alm each Sucurday moring Inaddiaon to specal pees on Smt 100 ids each week renee sampler of music fom MCA cently released complason ofc toon theme songs ae imerped py akernave riers The proper designed wo “asociate Career Nee work's brand mime tha pose family experience, that ofthe Satur- day matinee, while necing added ex- Posure for our newest Wey Sere Toons” Mem i “Gener Cinema ews he pare shipasa way wofers pomehaie: face to conumensid Else the cain’ wie president of mer ing aling Carton Newsrkce brand that has shieved pid epic onandsceprnce sone sree General Cinemas ust one of eral big-name marketers thats ac ing onto the Canon Newer overfl brand anche ‘When tenement dehas i Jonny Quest ido ine ths north, the debi willbe backed noc ony ‘ith St milion pint bts ch 2515 milion commartecnpea Ben, The efor wil inate Sore. bac offer with purchase of ils baty’s Gren Giant ypc and ‘oupon offering haleyece mene shpsto Days lan Hots Fuly Ve sation Gib Tn aden, mor a 2 milion packages of Line Dee Snack Cakes wife excuse Con toon Nework merchandise ore counted paces,In mid-March, Planet Hollywood restaurants wil kick of 2 four-week campaign featunng “Classic Jonny ‘Quest on a variety of promotional stems, including placemas, able tents, and in-house TV monitors. Ther’ even going be aJonny ‘Quest-themed dessert item, Packaged as “Classic Jonny Quest,” the four vides, along witha new fea- turelength fi, wil be available for ‘three months and come with limite «d-etton Quest comic book shnink- repped tothe box. The network also will manage to sneak in some exe sure for its other properties by ine luding either a “Space Ghost” or “Wood Premiere Toons’ selection ‘The line s the Btn a series oF ‘anoon character-themed eollecuons to be released by Turner Home En- terainment. “We're basically enende Ing the brand tha our sser division has bu,” said Richard Pinson, vice President of marketing for Turner Home Enterainment Domestic Home Video, creanng a home video line thar’ “a lede bit off-center, defe ‘tel hip and somewhat ireverene Soon Nerwork il put Team (Questo further use in the fill as it Aebussa series of new episodes that put the gang in he ver 90s world of ‘arwual reality: Se fora third-quarcer Premiere, the show wil be backed ‘th anew tor line from Galoob as wells ne-ins with major consumer produce marketers. 4 live-acuon owte scheduled te released in 10". which MeAnsh sad would open Further promosonal opporeunraes! However thes brand iit has to bea genuine associzon beeween the character and the network.” said Sid Gd. president of Good Marketing Cleveland, whch specializes in the Kids’ marker Anat ths pone, because of the neensorks limited dstnbunon “there ‘might be ane eontision,"he sat “There ae kids that ae are going to bu Jonny Quest without necesarly asociaang i wath Cartoon Nework” But he added, “the more Caroon Neowork comes out nto the mart 38 recognized eno, whether i's on ‘ideo packages or Linke Debbve pach aes the more kid will make the lnk, “One of the things that's mos i para for them ic their ability wo re. tnforce what Caroon Network i 0 itsmor usta bunch af canons on that channel” he suid. “The more thes're able to create their own image and branded ena the beer ther beable ro create that added value MARKETING NEWS MARCH 11, 1996 make the ink.” “Space Ghost,” 2 '60s super ‘hero, has been recast as a hip talk show host ‘and appears in 2 special oxtrav. agenza at local planetarlums.CABLE WORLD MARCH 11, 1996 An Animation Revival Cartoon to debut Dexter's Laboratory’ as series in April; ratings roundup » By WiLL Workman ow do you develop a hit Histo siiicor Rugrats, which averages close to @ 40 rating? Cartoon Network, which is fast emerging as cabie's chief ri val in kids programming tothe top rated Nickelodeon, thinks ita least has a way to find an answver to that question. The Turner Broadcasting System Ine. network, along with Hanna-Barbera Cartoons Inc about a year ago unveiled World Premiere Toons — a venue {or sev jivminute cartoon shorts that de but on s Sunday night then go through a week-long rotation in which they air another dozen times. » "+ were looking at getting sc ing new on the air atthe time,” says Betty Cohen, the Cartoon Netwofk’s president. “Hanna-Barbera at the same time wanted to rejuvenate iis studio.” Laboratory Should be ready for expansion into hall tors will find too tempting to resist, says Fred Seibert, Hanna-Barbera's president “What it really i, isthe first plot sys“ tem of its kind in the business,” he says. “Every one of our shorts sees air time and gets exposed to the public at large. Cartoon Network is the only network where cartoons can run [standalone] and not [as] part of a series." ‘That farm system has been combined with an elaborate feedback loop that in- cludes toll-free phone lines, Cartoon Network's America Online bulletin board, focus groups and the network's consumer promotions. “It-was always with the view that we would use ... every possible means of feedback to determine the stars of the fu ture,” Cohen says. As the Cartoon Network's subscriber base hits mid-range — it passed the 25- million-home mark in March — Cohen ays operators will begin to look more and more at the network to deliver rat ings. Indeed, World Premiere Toons de- buted with a 3.5 rating in its universe Tast year and has since maintained close to a 3.0, according to network executives. Cohen, who says it’s difficult to make ralings projections for Dexter's says two other shorts soon Now, Cohen and Hanna-Barbera hour series: one for January 1997. the think they have their first “breakout” other for mid-1997. star, Dexter's Laboratory. which was Stil, they'll have a long way to go to ‘ken (roma short crested By 26year- reach the Rugrats. ratings old Genndy Tartakovskv, The short plateau. That tale of diaper ca nominated for a 1995 Emmy Award will pers regularly pulls in almost hye expanded into a half-hour series on one-half of the top-rated cable ill three Turner Entertainment net- shows each week, » xorks — Cartoon Network, TBS SuperStation and TNT — beginning in fate Apri ‘The Warld Premiere Toons develop- nent process revived a tradition from animation's golden days at Warner Bros. and other studios that focused j= 0 introducing new characters one at a ime and not pressuring animators wit™ the burden of creating an entire Ss . according to Cartoon Network With animation in high demand, it's, the kind of venue — free from big-stu- «. dio control and conventions, as well as oy market pressures — BREAKOUT STAR? Cartoon Network and Hanna-Barbera hav high ratings hopes for Dexter's Laboratory, which will be e: panded to a half-hour series on Cartoon Network, TB ‘SuperStation and THT beginning in Late Api|. by eyndan itor Senior staff writer Pesioaing flu the plas ar Soeretinaesone feces je Qua ote pera ‘Say chane-nrig yours Te cor nce: fcr coo- szrkeag ais anew ine of kame ‘eos and some sensi ly prox ‘noabas. Theres evens Coroan Ne era comple wath o> car and urs emblazoned with {iewnetarter canon chances TEE PENT scecharbond go. ‘Aer hee years on the arses ow ste ame ecu on Caton Neworesrs band ta on Secind rnd td Cog vegion mc prescen of markean + Camoon Swan» dion of Tamer Brondezong Stem, Aan fore tt we weren't athe eet foe tit quero warsosse” he si Wedldntwanteo orn andy reno lcesces oF premodern rte tht Coron Nereort was Rape okeari tes We eaten plone ver on none Burnow our Ths “Theale! nominator te cas: cans and now peoples Spnto exe new lands arumauon ‘Cincom Neneon cunaders prune ager oe keds apes 1, Endi's cen not atone n purse “whence Real upaace The WE (its the clase Loones Tunes 3 well Sdn ‘Bot McAnsh mid the neworl’s edie vo eatoons ae apart we "Our suche ou ook, ‘ur dung all anon, all he sme i's a natural lace to difereno she dng dt Nik Secret ibe re ce Sorte ng eege Cg ears wise craw irate pct tps hacov me ee eon venetleilel enon aa ey Sienna Sheen ecy ca oores 0 "Uincteypuntircuredlon es Mea ey bn Ste an eat Sade be erie No MARKETING NEWS MARCH 11, 1996 Cartoon Network on a ‘Quest’ to strength ,-brand image (a5 ‘ain Bectute some ofthe eroons ci ‘herr or have been showang up on ‘he compennon, Caron Network “has re pt wh look, we aim ownership af hex,” he std. "The home i 90 Carson Nerwort. Ths where they le.” ‘Ther postaonig is resniorced with ‘nvair promos tht ream up van (us canoon characters so that “Top Cat” ugh appeat tobe pickng up ‘he phone o nat wrth “Judy eso,” 1 adaiaon to resgang over the Hanna-Barbers iby, Canon Net ‘work i fstenng new tient cous ‘ts "World Pre weeks ly senes featuring te best n seam ced ahors. Now se nerwork ball booing fst brekour ree "wach flows te “ventas of boy genus who cote acs al oes of groovy iano a betbdrervsge ho, Bon back 600. Bone ins the person's Amerie ‘Online ballean tard and consumer promesns, the shore wil be expand ‘Shin new hal hoor epuodes The Series deve: wil be matked wath ssier marten push, but McAas ‘wouldn't ives ets enh sane vould be -preny ery ‘Wheme:s promouars orl censed proaurs. whic the nexwork Cartoon Neework us aesonated with ‘basta Bris brand personaly. "We celebrate the naiewogs and revels ‘he absurd snd they would have to be parof dat," he suc ‘When came ame to promote Space Chom Coaerea Coser” "hich ‘Seino an ever lip an fp ve fight ll show host. he network lane ic had w go for“ promotional (tle: thar's ws euisky and bere as the shows tensa” MeAnah ti So the unergalsent cartoon charter ‘phitng the planers wath 2 ‘Dusit Ghee Pint wavaganaa " Cosponsored by Geffen Records, loa aeraure radio so sons, and Tower Recor, the show feaeures ner combined with #-D ‘chology cps rom the show, and en its ‘use vdeos—all presided over by ‘pant video nage of Space Ghost ‘As par of the overall branding sexegy the nerwork will once sun hese poolside this summer force ‘Duin Theaters promooon, With the Geck cone up in 3 bamboo mont nd theaergoers rcemang inner- tubes to lounge in, they can kak back and watch he toons a: costumed Fepreseneaaves of vanous curses mise around Carga Nemo ag soul cs aoa YeTOOR nm ine FiSees! Siegen oat rence ieee oe a ae porate eT s, Exiogewd sone! tb ped canna SStinemeetimcinely engned wo “amore Canaan torts brand name with spouse ‘Smily expense, tat of te Sati dey, we eng ed ex onure for our newest Weld Pres smi Toons? McA aad Se debe wil be oasned noc om ie SI malian pan bs bet S15 millon crosmarieang ca pgm The efor wil meas 8 re ‘ae offer wien purenat of Pils buns Green Gat vecctiies snd oven tere hl pee mace ‘dupste Duss inn Hotes Fama V3 ison Cub. La adatoon: mare tuan ZS railhon pactaees of Lite Debine Snack Cates wl ofr excuse Ca. toon Nerwork meretanane rsd coed anes Be 5 ‘There's even going robe 9 Quere-ened oxner te Paeiaged af “Clasic lon Ques the our set, song svn ew tx serene fick tbe wnicie ‘Sree monthsand ame wah sa “edison Qu conse doo =n sapere bor The enone Seal mane oaneak nor ex ‘ioe erie peer ‘Baan exe Space Gow Ms ois ¢o selecaon ‘Thelecueinos enrat aon carne clersns tobe released by Tuer Home En- teravmeat “We're bascaly end tng the brand that our ser son bbs bait” sid Richard Pion, vce eepictmartang fr Turner ice Exeranen Dome | ime Video, cretang « home ni Line dat's"s lide bw of-cnte, ded ily hip. and somewhae reverent” ‘Garoon Rerwork wil pot Team ‘Questo fureher sue inthe fll net debts sens of new episode that tthe rang in he wey 90s word of oalnain: Sor ethqare premuere, the show wil be bucked Sh new ty ine fom Galoab es wel as oc wit mmr conser product murieer A lneacooe ‘nome i scheduled wo be lene in 1997, which McAnh said wld pen ‘furter promotion opportroe “However they brand ic thas to bea genuine assocason benween the charuers andthe nework> mid Sid (Geod, president of Good Marbeang, (Glereind, which mpenaites in he ‘a marker ‘Anda ths poi because of te networts immed dimuon “here sight belie onfauon "he mid rear ads hat are ae pou by Janay Ques without sseeang i with Caron Newer" ‘Buc headed, "the mare Caren ‘Nerwork comes ou into the marie: prant fr them i thir bi wo re Inforce what Carton Nenroskis ‘anor pss bunch of cares eo Satchannal"he mid. “The more yb foc dow branded ent, te bewar beable to crete Gt added value“By Alan Bash USA TODAY Looks like TV is crashing the movie industry's biggest party of the year. FFive flms nominated for Oscars at ‘Monday's Academy Awards have al- ready aired on the small screen, and five others are headed there soon: “It does seer this year that there Is a larger number of nominees (than usu- al) that were developed for television,” says Patrick Stockstill, coordinator for the ceremony. ‘Academy officials are now mulling rules changes to keep TV projects out of future Oscar competitions altogether. ‘We haven't finalized any solutions, but there is definitely tat under way,” Stockstill says. Projects eligible for the TV industry's Emmy Awards also can compete in {four Oscar categories: animation short, live action short, documentary short ‘fim and documentary feature. ‘The caveat: Academy rules state that alm headed for TV can quality for an scar only i t first plays for seven days ina commercial Les Angeles theater or ata film festival Studios learned, to memorize that rule after last year’s Last Seduction f- asco. Reviews had pegged Seduction’s Linda Fiorentino asa shooin for a best actress nomination, but she was disqual- iffed when it was learned that the movie had aired on HBO before hitting the- ters, This year, timmakers were more ‘The Battle Over Citizen Kane, nomi- nated for best documentary feature, was scheduled to air as an American USA TODAY MARCH 21, 1996 Television films are getting a chance at Oscars Poaching on Oscer's tenttory: Courage the Cowardly Dog wars Muriel in The Chicken From Outerspace, an Oscar nominee that ared on the Cartoon Network, Experience program on PES in early Sanary. But was inied to compete atthe Sundance Film Festal, whieh ike the academy’ doesnt allow nom ee oa rs on TV. So "0 oblige the. producers, we moved the PBS premiere which made ane elige for Sundance andthe O= ars ss PHS’ Johanna Baler Sn: dance ended Jen. 77, and PHS sired fares ook at other projects that eye's aloo at other projects that fullied thelr eater/feaval obliga tions for Oscars sake but were devel- oped primarily for TV: > The Chicken From o (aniaticd aie) The Cae NE ‘work's seven minute cartoon aired as one of several Hanpa-Earbra stor in ihe World Premiere Toors block Chicken, whieh-may'be Torned nto regular series, will reair Monday at 9 pm. ET/6PT. > Hank Aaron: Chasiog the Dream (documentary) Dream mixed real and Fecreated footage 10 tall the Hall of Famer’ lite tory on TBS. It will reair ‘Dream Sunday at 7 pm. BT/4 PT. > Anne Frank Remembered (docw- mentary feature). This look at te life of the young Holocaust darist aired in une onthe Disney Channel. The chan- nel hasnt set any real dates. > One Survivor Remembers (doc mentary short). Coproduced by HBO and the US. Holocaust Memorial Muse- lum, the story ofa female Holocaust sur- vivor aired on HBO in May. No reair dates have been set Other fms, though not developed specifically for TV, also have been sat for TV premieres: Four of the five liveaction short ‘nominees (all produced by Chanticleer Films) have been licensed by Show. time, which will air them in a Short Film Festiva tonight at 10 ET/PT. Troublesome. Creek: A. Midivest- ern, which won the Documentary Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, was funded parly by PBS' American Expe- rience and therefore will have Is frst ‘TV aring on PES sometime in 1867. Filmmakers such as Chicken’s John Dilworth want to thank the academy for leting TV into Oscar's tent. “Is ey ery flmmaker’s dream to get this far ‘And while the movie industry may not love television's growing presence at the Oscars, Oscar historian and ‘Turner Classic Movies hast Robert Os- bome welcomes the trend, saying its ay to make ofpeat fms more acces “The Oscars offer terrif shorts, but so rarely do you get a chance to see them in theaters,” says Osborne,° VARIETY MARCH 22, 1996 Oscar nominees span styles NEW YORK — The breadth wonan Oscarin 1993 for Wallace of the animation business is no- _& Gromitadventure “The Wrong Wwhere more apparent than in the Trousers," spent two years creat- ° nominees for this year's Acad- ing the 30-minute short, shooting femy Award for animated short, just three seconds of film each ‘vith five films reflecting an in- day as the clay characters were creasingly broad range of styles. manipulated by hand on atiny set. From the surreal computer- ‘Clicke! wes qwodiced genertedimagersof THEN” pinwowtes ‘New "York used s to the painstakingly crafted clay guewp"pus,, New Yorone animation of "A Close Shave." Sint ste Badan Prods and the contenders run the gamut of Gayné's Hanna-Barbera Prods a ways to bring creatures to life, thesevemmninute fl and is airing mostly fromthe animalkingdom. its pat ofthe Cartoon Netwenk’s “VAIL five films represent such "World Premiere Toons” program, abroad cut of where animation’s I's a more traditionally animated says John Dilwon, the short about a space alien chicken SBiyeanoid dtecor of "Ihe whose plot tke over the word Chicken From Outer Space"’ and thwarted by the film's hero, Cour- fa first-time nominee. “It reiter- age the Cowardly Dog. trestbeopportuniyy"avalableto—seThe nd” produced by animaiors especially in cH ‘Toront- based grapes software . ‘egory that's often overshadowed company Alias/Wavefront and di- bythe Oscars" altzier entries. vooed i vat ches ie a rel ong ald his Tapteey pees Doce ant Ce year” says Chis Landreth, dic- process acl as'9 Necsine and torot™The End.” adding that his niall was conceived asa dem fod may reflect the Academy's onstaion film for 3-D computer . Meceptance™ of the medium of MABE. Inthe sixominute fl. computer gencrated animation on 0 dancing characters realize uw mers raerhan ata ey inacarooandtte othe Fe nspeae fom the tanending forte toon, ULK.'s Aardman Animations, is De ee eee ° the latest chapter in the story of 42 years, fe = for vai Wolace and Gomi a wacky in- {29S ates the femiliarodet enior and his faithful dog, who aves Frankenstein this time must fend off a sheep qpnsjpOo in hiche'sthe unit rustle, Director Nick Park, who priewtlnn cs rimewiching 2 leydiects ° Finally, @ tender 31/+minute Russian film, “Gagarin,”* from Second Frog’ Animation Group and firsttime director Alexi Kharitidi, chronicles the sad re- sult of a eatepillar’s quest (0 make his dreams come tue.VARIETY MARCH 22, 1996 H-B is showing its initiatives, literally By RITA STREET Like many animation houses, snna-Barbera Cartoons has had its ups and downs over the years. Featuring a library of characters powerful enough to touch the lives of four generations, the ‘company, founded in 1957 by Veteran animators Bill Hanna ang Joe Barbera, has always been a major player in the animation world, and indeed, pioneered the production of Saturday moming ‘TV cartoonsinthe "60s. In terms of new product, how= ever, Hanna-Barbera has experi= enced some lean years since then, But the "90s have seen H-B factor back into the production equation ina big way, using a two-pronged, character-driven strategy of retum- ing some ofits vintage propertiesin new formats and programs aimed at anew generation of viewers — starting wih this fall's "The Real ‘Adventures of Jonny Quest," 10 be Tollowed over the next two to three years by new versions of sons"' and “'Scooby Doo ihe cremionoranew group. acters through its unique “What a Cartoon" shorts program, ‘That strategy, combined with the broadcasting power of the Turner empire, which owns ‘Hanna-Barbera, has made the stu- diobusierthanever, ‘Weare acartoon studio first and foremost, nota family studio oran animation studi “We are a cartoon studio first and foremost, not 2 family studio fran animation studio," said He Boreny Fred Seibert. “We have igreat competitors who pride themselves on being animation studios, and that's fine. For us, ‘animation is only the technique by which we makeeartoons."" However, when Seiber arrived in 1992, fresh from building MTV into a cable powerhouse, the studio was nowhere near the production mode in which it now finds itself. Having gone through several changes in ownership, He Bras ina state of flux and artists were exiting ata furious pace. In ‘order to establish stability in both the business and creative depart ‘ments, Seibert began seven-year plan with a twofold mission: Give ‘animators the creative freedom that had been missing since the industry's Golden Era to make new cartoons, and reintroduce ‘characters of the past to the chil- dren oftoday. In order to create new char- acters for the H-B library and en- tice artists back under his roof, Seibert and his team built the “What a Cartoon’ program, a series of 45 shorts that air on the Turner networks, all of which are creator-driven by animators lured to the studio, rather than part of some specific executive mandate, “Every great animator has told ‘me that the one thing he or she Pines for is work on a seven- minute cantoon,”” says Seibert. “It has been the basic building- block of our business — the equivalent of the 21/2-minute pop song. And the greatest thing about it is that an animator can develop and oversee direction and production of that film prety much solo. Seibert maintains that creating projects that emphasize freedom for animators also happens to be ‘good for business. He determined that forthe first time since the days when cartoons ran theaticaly, there was money to be made in shor. And, best of all, because of the company's marriage with sister ‘Tumer company the Cartoon Net- work, it now had a venue to air productnewandold. The network also became a convenient testing ground to see ifany “Whata Cartoon” projects bad the legs to expand into fal blown cartoon series, Though various focus groupe, incuaiee 21800 number and Cartoon Nee work's Amercan Online bullets board, Hanna-Barbera was able to detemnine tat one particles short, animator Gennady Tartak- ovsty’s “Dexters Lapeer En sung Rewer pe the ctapeny decided teats out in its ov series. "Dester™ will debut in April on al tee Turner cham A seoond shore "Cow and Chicken," also willbe spun into aseris in 1997, andthe company expec otters follow suitn the fate, Bt fond memories rein the backbone of Seibert's seven-year equation Mos yourg snd mide ge ahs remember he HB pan theon of charac, For expe, Ther oi doses dee Tepe tesingConduced by te company in 0 major cde showed that "The Pinson" has a 98% 10 100% awareness to Tapping ‘into this zeitgeist, Seibert began that would, later be called “"Turer-wide intitiven” new program recogaizingand reinvent ing top characters an tp show in nev oom, The fist “iniave" out of the this fall. The company is curently inthe midstofayeariong promotion ofthe new “Quest”VARIETY MARCH 22, 1996 SPOTLIGHT A TOONED-IN DECADE “The lowing chat explores 18 eral development that have managed ove te pst decade sgifcanl change he ani a ere en cnancr as ether craves or rm busines Sardpor. While ter nvidia shows and fra aa ao Pe ampis or Bi hs and eer development cera importa 19 the i's srovsk ove the et 10 ee ee nav bea chosen Bs Dally Variety experts the biggest infenees onthe ins tare daring tat Jerod or te largest conto oh aren ton epson. 1986 STR AMERICAN TAIL — UniversaVAmbin, The tet serious changer to Disney's domiance of the animate fetus fm mara. bis on AN titer Stover Spier ad formar Disney art Dan But was the ighes grossing animate feature up te at pa, tank in par ta ‘goundbeanng martetngitcensing Bit Dine features have since broken at 60 core several times. 1 1987 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES — Fed Wot Fs. Green begets geen 2 censingmerchendsng phenomenon erupts, while th spe ‘ume nepe anew gee of een bud hero shows, Doh animation and Ineacion. Who's vphiag now? 2 “DISNEY TV — Wien things were tokng beak nthe crtons-for ds aera, Wat Disney brought animation back to televised ite wi “Duck {pRB Thos cared on tne classic come character UnleSreage MeDuck, and made he show pat ofthe companys new igi succes yea programming lac, the Dsrey Aegon. 3 4s MIGHTY MOUSE: THE NEW ADVENTURES — Boks Animation/08S, The combined tomado force of animation mavericks lbh Bakshi TaIMBAT Kaas proved ie oo fot Sluray morig athe me, but is show lhe groundwork Tere nereases owe Sop ton tat ear er 1989 TAR Lrrue menmato — wat osny Feature Aneaton. Fst on he bees of Disney and Abin’ feature “Who Framed Roger Rath” (1288), Sines wars mute of lesion ang aration et browght te animation mem o# new atenee, “Menai” eum Dey tts Cassie (une was jure ses reported the sey fete armaton Unt ang Bunche an ara animales Dockbaster that Nave spud the current ature seeptes. 1990 A apsous — Developed tor TV by Key Csupo, cuter arated by Film Roman. The performance ot “The Simpsons” on Fox pine ineivovedanravon eaulot ony antalee te mazes, bt Wray sip ter i he ac and sil have then coming back or more. The edgy ‘ow ave demonstrated tat nanan cou actualy define pp cure ane succes in peti. 8 _« STEVEN SPIELBERG PRESENTS TINY TOONS — Vine ros TV Animation Wt he essing f Steven Spiebeg, Warnes TV unt fused ‘he owssyle energy of “Buns Bunny" wih nlectous 0s colege-cromd hpness and helped fo creaely etn he Fax Cisre’s Network Deore unehng one sown, 6 |s FOX CHILOREN'S NETWORK — Beoinning nfl of 1980, Fx began otenng kas Dick of programming, may anmates, eer weekday ‘rer Sano! Le by FON otery Margaret Laesen. te network quod Took ove the ratings lead among netwark cbcers programmes, a fone new round ne oama gene wih "Batman The Anat Snes” 19 1882.7 1991 J NiexTOONS — String wah “The Ren ans Stmpy Show” (191), tis cbl-based toon super pused tne envlee of TV cartooning, fring therestot me nous, parle Sturay morning cows, cose he ee. 8 1992 TEFRTOON NETWORK — Tune: inition proved earoon really Go hav mass appeal when he cal nunced the premise of 24ou oon. Frnt. ine cable went out te some? miion homes. nes than four years, tat ruber rose to the 25min mark, Cartan Wetwork now pasts Som numbers nt ony the US, buts n Europe, Lain Amenca and Asa, AAVAERE ON EARTH IS CARMEN SANDIEGO? — DICroserbundFox. DC's multimedia (bu mosty ea-aniate) version of te popula ‘acopane became test network show to suecestly ero Ne edulanrent™ nu, eorng at wih Dot aucieres andthe FOC. $ “BEAVIS & BUTT-HEAD — ad animaan macs eee camo, a conbioabon ht sent he slr set nto back and produced an overnight [EMM Cres ete fami values crowd knock ne iver vo on 2 regu ass, Du even ona erent downward wav fe pop\a- fy hey ve manage fo an este ea 10 1994 J Pkcorswey Bc — ABC derelonment exes took a canes on twp norracional forms of programming in 4 uly comune animes FROIN Reco” anda ston-motln cigymaton snow cled “Burp the hg ANON neha sens ered ret ratings ey {Bits ant proces ne anseape for Stuy morning cous be pares wn eran ales. se WHAT A CARTOON — Hanna-aroeCataon Netw Hs hghy outed plant realize the seven-minute shot cata format fr TV he SUA othe teoonass Deng opeec for sons ut fas made the waters ster for earr-arven caions. 1 1995 JABS weavers — woo s3jscometton nt heaiy? The newt formed Kids WB and UPN Kids — both lon. pat tote sucess Fatthuatess Newson teula "ook hey to reed 2 whole new ganeraton of coon rograimed on a Gay bess, while Simutaneosty trangng te syraeston rake ace Mt aya i Se—Cartoon Sound Fffects_ (VARIETY'S) ON PRODUCTION MARCH/APRIL 1996 “I Need Seven Glorps and a Glug-Glug... “ by Michael Mallory nce the domain of cymbal crashes, explo- sions, rifle ricochets and _slide-whistles, animation sound effects have in recent years become a sophisticated art. Long {gone are the days when a cartoon director like Bob Clampett, wanting just the right sound, would himself step up to the microphone and howl, “Bayooooo-up!” Today the field is largely digitized. but the advent of technology has not taken away the need for old-fashioned ingenuity on the part of sound designers and editors. Unlike live-action films, which have production tracks that can be followed, sound effects for cartoons have to be keyed purely from the visual, which leaves considerable room for creative interpretation. Specialized, offbeat sounds are still required, even for today’s more “realistic” toons. ‘There are alot of things you make noises for that don’t exist in nature,” notes Bill Koepnick, president and co-owner of Advantage Audio, a Burbank post house specializing in animation (Gargovles, Spiderman, Felix the Cat, among many others). “Magic is constant- ly happening in cartoons), s0 you have to come up with whooshes and a lot of phasey effects.” The process for creating a magical pass, like the one described by Koepnick, starts by pulling an ordinary sound, such as a bell ring- ing, from an effects library and then putting it through 2 digital signal processor called Turbosynth, which alters the sound of it. The result is then combined in the computer with other sounds to create a com- pletely new “hybrid” effect. Aside from the ability to create never-before-heard sounds, digital audio sys- tems such as Digidesign’s ProTools greatly reduce work time by allowing for thousands of sounds to be stored, catalogued, com- bined and textured directly ‘ona removable hard drive. ‘Two years ago we were_ ccutting sound on quarter- inch with razor blades, and now we've got three ProTools systems,” says John Niss. post supervisor for Hanna-Barbera, and a man passionate about his computer. “The next step for us is to record directly into ProTools and run aDAT backup.” The H-B sound effects library, which is available on CD, con- tains some of the world’s most familiar sounds — quaintly identified by names like “The gleep-gloop sound,” “Zwing- wong,” “Larry's Floor Slide” and “Earl's Fast Slap" — many of which continue to be called for by a new generation of toon- sters “I's wonderful to scratching their head 1 a lot more compli- cated to get perfect t picture, whereas a foley artist can do it (on the spot.” Over the years Klasky Csupo™ has built up their own uniquely tailored sound effect library. “We can never have enough splats or squish noises, espe- cially with Rugrats and Real Moxsters,” says sound effects editor David Eccles hear the animators The studio is and creators and direc- equipped with a tors of the shorts [H- ProTools system, B's “What A Cartoon” though Eccles notes ‘Program) say, "You RADIoAcrive: Burbank post house Advantage Audio specializes in aa mae of the temember that sound that was used in_The Flintsones when they did this-and-that”” and they'll describe the situation, and we'll go find it for them," _Niss says. He is quick to add, though, that these clas- —"We_can never have enough splats or squish noises. — Dovid Eccles, sound effects editor, Klasky Csupo sic sounds are usually altered or used Indeed, while new effects are fre- quently based on old effects, most established sound editors iee! total reliance on existing libraries is taking the cheap, easy way out. “What Ise happening a lot. especially on Saturday morning, is someone who's kot twenty-grand to jump into a computer becoming ‘Mr Sound Editor’ and basically he's not doing, any designing on his own, he's pulling trom these pre-established HMbranies. so what vow end up having ‘severvone soundins the same.” says noisemaking for animated programs including Spiderman, ‘Tim Borquez, supervising sound edi- tor at Horta Editorial, which has designed sound for such Nicktoons as The Ren and Stimpy Show and Rocko's Modern Life. (By the way, while Borquez is steeped in the digital realm, using both the NED Synclavier Post-Pro sound design system and the Do Re Me Dawn digital work station, he still confesses a preference for analog recording, which he savs, “gives you warmer textures of sound.”) OF course, not all animation sound design is accomplished inside the computer, and while advance- ments in the portability of DAT machines and microphones make it easier to record hard effects in the field, there is still a great deal of sim- ulation work to be done on a foley stage Many, such as Kurt Vanzo, sound department supervisor for indie toon house Klasky Csupo (Duckman Rugrats. Aaah! Real Monsters) still consider foley an absolute necessity for cartoons. “Most shows that try to do it without foley soon find out that it not only takes longer to do it with the computer, i's actually a lot harder,” he savs, “Placing individual steps or folev-type effects, such as somebody squishes were hand- made — literally — by having sound ‘artists slog their hands through buckets of hair gel. ‘One recent challenge for Eccles was to create eight signature buzzing sounds for the allinsect cast of Saturday morning's Santo Bugito “We had some bug sound effects, but we didn’t have enough of each par- ticular sound to cover the whole show, so we had to come up with our own.” Basic buzzes were created in part by holding a piece of plastic against rapidly spinning a bike wheel. ‘The leap of logic that it takes to get a buzz out of a bicycle, or to know that com meal and flour when, mixed with water makes better sounding mud than plain dirt, may be chalked up to inspiration. But there is also a tradition of shared knowledge passed from edi- tor to editor and through the experi- ence of foley artists. “In sound we're, really lucky,” Vanzo says, "because ‘most sound people are just interested in advancing the artform, and most sound guys are ready and willing to give you any ideas they have.” ‘And Hollywood, it seems, still beats a path to the door of the indi- vidual who can build a better floop.COMBO APRIL 1996 By STEVE FRITZ, OONED I Jonny goes Questing in “96 ‘THINK | STARTED TO fun, There wasn't a linker in become eware that anima the entire series. Best of al, 30, tion was something differ- years later, a number of people fentin the mic+'60s. Iwas there of both my generation and—this in 1965 when ABC aired tne is what's scary—their kids love firstever Jonny Quest at 7:00 the show, pm. on a Wednesday night's So imagine my pleasure Stil one of my alktime favorite when | picked up the annual cartoon series. ‘Animation Review that Variety Pointblank, HannaBarpera's puts out and saw a full-page ad coniginal Aaventures of Jonny for the return of Jonny. And it Quest was one of the most Kick- was fnished off with a very ‘Ss action senes ever created. detailed press release trom Asan elementary school kid, Turner Entertainment (the par: ‘lent need to know that was ent company of HB) saying that the visionary work ofthe late not only wil they be putting get 21. shots of Questevery rine i also going to be as Doug Wildey or Bil Hanna and back on the air with new week, starting inthe fall’9 much fun as ever. Joe Barbera that was meking shows, but Jonny wil also be season. Best of all, critics are “locks completely aitferent major stides in the field. Me on the Cartoon Network, TNT, already saying that it's going to from the old show,” says co ang my tends just ihought tt and TBS. be one of the biggest its of the Producer Takashi, “which was was some great gutwrenching That's right, folks. You wil upcoming animation season. _very cartoonorinted. It's nt “The frst reaction as styized. We are taking a very we had was atte realise aporoach, We've man last San Diego} ‘aged to make them look very ComiCon,” says HB contemporary witiout being, Senior VP of fashionable, I's a look that we Production Sherry hope will last a very long time. Gunther, Executive One of the things about the org Producer on the new inal shows is their look was Quest. “The fans classic.” went absolutely “Jonny is stil the kid who crazy. They went ito can do anything he wants to do ‘the booth and would without his mother ever stop- Notleave. twas ping him," says fellow co- incredible to see all Producer Peter Lawrence. “t's ‘ese fens fpping also stil a very storyainven ‘out not only because show. The characters are sil the show was com- there, obviously. The new Jonny Ing back, but that is older, a litte leaner and the show was so meaner. Hadi Is older still and 00d." has become Dr. Quest's person The preview 've al assistant. He doesn't use ‘Seen confirms this. magic much anymore, though The animation, while he stil knows quite a bit about ‘much more ad- I He won't use “Sim Sim enced than the _Salabeen’ to get out of trouble, show of the '60s, is Race also has a much more sil primo. From the cowboy sensibly. He wil fy sounds of t, the sto- into the face of author if ‘crosses him. Dr. Quest also no ‘The Quest eam Is longer works for the gover =: > older and wiser- ment. He's now a phenomenol but Bandits gotta gist, amanwho spends his ::, eg! be gettin’ up there time exploring unusual phenome comso #15Perea ena troughout the world. That now means fs Dr. Quest's studies that will take the team into situations where the para rhormal and supernormal often occur, “One of the major..points of the show, which Takashi came Lp with is [to expand on what} Doug Widey [aid inthe orginal show: He) came up with all tnese amazing technological innovations tiat are very possi bie... The only thing ne prabs- bly got wrong was a snowmobile with a propelier on k. With the state of technology today, where 1's almost impossible to fore cast, we hope we stil manage to create some things that peo- ‘ble thougnt would be impossible [and] make people thnk twice ‘and say i's possible." “Jonny 1s stil Jonny,” adds Gunther. “and Hadi is stil with tm. All the characters ae sti wath him, There'l aways be that element of the show that stays the same, The main twist is that ‘in he past it was realy Dr. Quest's adventures that Jonny ‘went along on. Now, Jonny goes on his own adventures. The new sees is taken from Jonny's Point of view.” There will be more changes than just Jonny and the Quest, Team being a tad older. Dr, (Quest's main adversary, Dr. Zin, APRIL 1996 is gone. The two new vilains ‘are narned Dr. Surd and Ezekiel ‘Rage. The world Jonry operates inhas changed a lot also. “One of the things we've ‘come up with is a virtual reality World that we hope could be the way some people predict the metaverse or cyberspace will be,” says Lawrence, “We think ‘we push t much further, to the point where we can start explor ing parale reales. We call ‘the Quest World, “Dr. Surd has hacked into the Quest World and rewired it ‘50 he can survive and is con- ‘tantly putting them in jeopardy He's kind of a malevolent Stephen Hawking. in the virtual wor'd he's a completely uid, thee life. In the real world he's ‘completely confined to life sup- ort. We also have an exagent whose family was betrayed by cur government and has now become a neo-eligious maniac. His name is Ezekiel Rage. Jonny is now aided by a new character as well, a git named Jessie, who isnot related to the redheaded pre-teen who had ‘become Jonny's pall on some of his later adventures. She's the ‘adopted daugnter of Race Bannon. Only in cartoons and steoms, Im the meantime, Tumer is Bianning a major push for the ew series. As 21 slots a week aren't enough, you can expect a number of major adver- ‘ising campaigns end licensing deals. Asi is, Dark Horse Co- mics has signed 2 deal to do a ‘Quest comic. And that's not al “R's very important.” says ‘Gunther, “The reason t's $0 important is we're taking a livrary property and relaunching Iewith a lot of new tists. There are new storylines, new tech ‘nology all kinds of licensing, partners, and other deals attached toi. Infact, it's the first time that 8 TV series is being treated lke @ theatrical ‘lease as far as the number of Partners and promotions. attached tot." Because of the connection Hanne Barbera now has with “Ture, the studio is also pro- ducing 65 complete episodes {forthe launch. This is an ‘unheardof amount for a new ‘animated series. Most usually ‘Start with 13 or, at most, 26. “That's because most shows are relying on a network Pickup," Gunther explains. “When you are relying on @ net- ‘work, they usually only give you ‘the money to do 13 episodes and then wait to see what the ratings are before they give you ‘any more. We have the advan tage of being able to make 2 deal with our own networks, ‘TBS, TNT, and Cartoon Network, ‘They can let us take the full stnp amount so thet we can send it overseas and think ‘about syndication. Most people ‘don't real that i's very lficuit to syndicate a show without 65 episodes.” you think that that means It's possible for a broaceast net work showing ofthe new Quest, Gunther wil admit it's a poss Dil. At the moment, though, all ‘she wil say isi is @ Possibtty, thine more, ‘Such a massive launch for 2 new senes could be consioered ‘overkill by Some. Guntner dis agrees. = “You'd be atrais of overexpo- sure only f you're afraid the show isn't great," counters Gunther. “if the show is great, “Deena funny thing happens. Look at Nickelodeon and its air- ing of Rugrats. When the show 3s originally onthe ai, did Well. Now the show isin sync ‘cation, and Nickelodeon is ‘Showing Rugrats every day of ‘the week. Now the raungs are {going through the roof. What ‘hat means is that if @ show is really good and kids realy tke they will aways make time to see the show." ‘We'll find out this Septem. ber, ‘sa Critic seems you just can't keep ‘a good series down. Comedy Cenvral has picked up the rights 1 all 22 original episodes of Gracie Film's The Critic t's one ofthe few stering examples of ‘adutt animation on primetime 1V. lunderstand that even Ted ‘Turer, who was skewered as ‘the character Duke Philip, gets 2 laugh over the show. Check Comedy Central on Sundays at 10:30 pam. (EST) and you'l see wy. Dexter Laboratory a half format Wile we'te on the HB/Tur- Per tip it should be noted that ‘one ofthe series ofthe Cartoon Network's series. Sources at HB state that a se0- ‘ond series based on the Car toon Network's Word Premiaae Than short will be announced asWORLD SCREEN NEWS TT APRIL 1996 Virtual Toons LONDON: After airing on The Cartoon Network worldwide, Turner Internationals starting to sell a new collection of car- toon shorts produced by Han-_ snaBarbera. Jed Simmons, an executive VP of Hanne Barbera Cartoons who is based in Lon- don, says that 48 seven-minute shorts have been packaged into a series, What a Cartoon. The shorts were part of the studio's plan to create a new ‘generation of cartoons. One of them, The Chicken from Outer Space, recently was nominated for an Oscar for best animated short film. Another short, Dex- ter's Laboratory, has been “Turned into a series that will be launched at MIP. Butas Hanna-Barbera is em- barking on new production_Sim mons. says the ‘company will try to boost the ap peal ofits library by packaging its classic cartoons in. blocks. The first of these Seng Oscars shor: Honna-Bar- efforts recently launched in bora comes to market with a pock- Thailand, where the local 9gt of sors including Academy roadcaster airs classic car ‘Award nominer The Chicken tons, such as The Jetsons These are combined with alocaly pro- duced game show, short educa- tional segments and a host who introduces the cartoons infront of alive audience of kids. The ‘locks called The Cartoon Net- work Show. “The company plans to create several blocks by the end of the year that will help brand The Cartoon Net- work and establish it as an umbrella for our kids’ efforts,” . “The block also includes the world’s first virtual reality host,” adds Malcolm Bird, director of international pro- gramming at Hanna-Barbera, ‘whois spearheading their push to create locally produced blocks that include the studio's cartoons, Using stateoftheart computers, Hanna-Barbera has created a liveaction talk show that features the cartoon char- acter Top Cat interviewing international celebrities, such as David Hasselhoti. Because the segments have triggered a great deal of interest from local broadcast- ers, Turner International wil sell the three-minute inter- views separately. apass aq o1 jou wana ue st snus “(,reoy s,treuainar] ysuasy au, :U9sazd jew “pawaut ase oujen sosse115" soupo Suoure “MpoY e129) sataour ayu0Ae} stow Funudsard sassasioe paiuayey MOUS [II INL ‘nard ogiz ve sdepsmuy uo ‘uorppe ut (aidurexo 103 ‘staeq auiag 1uasaad m1 193503 aipo}) sassanze (aeiodurayuoa Aq pajsoy 3g j[ka pure “sassanze snoure; yw s00] aassadsouja1 aatsn%o Jo istsuo> fTlm ynyea *,sureROg,, moys aun “turd og'Z 18 sdepsant uo “rayJo [Im [auNTeYD aU “Sum [Te Jo sistuoSeord apeuray Crepusdal atp oF aInqus e pure UBTY UT UaUIOM 0} aINgl © Pmpuio> [eM INI [aUUEYD a]qz> 4B ‘auN/ YBNONA Tudy wos} ‘nAUOUE aN IxOU AYA 10 INL 40 SUVIS FHI OL TLngnut woneisuesy 9660 “cz OREN aia wumuadiy ‘samy sousng , NOZVUVT -vonesrang sn dy wt 10 hates faved ng way eS a a eee a tsa “eimeentece separa wa me rao eeeepresncnenamt sn parted pnt rope fucose ete eae at oe Sep a epee Sager sear ee ‘aero wanes xa os “roraany et Chg 28 paren ain py Sao Scecceeaaaeet mati en Soca soe ae se peysuing, aus PRTG oni estoy say SO/FWR IA DVS SNE sa anocees i pony Tavera ng dc 0¢ pone adv ‘Sh ot Pe tm Tosa Pam onesies ‘ind aq nares jon pose istoyave an uma fd fm IED ae MMIC ALATA, ‘Sinan opnoourudnon bas se sposenb ppt int on igen Seg PEN OL "Sees _ ONNNAIES BIA ee SOSSE/J OINJEN 19 antesaeor Sp 9 300 “TWuadv NOLLWIAINY aIVNOLEVNRIEILAY Seas NOISIAGTALTELEVISION BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL MIP TV ISSUE APRIL 1996 ANIMATION Brandishing the studio’ fist- fever Oscar nomination, Te pT ey ‘one ofthe 4 seven-minute Shons feom Hanna Barbera's World Pren a To. Is ereator 5 10 Dilswoath, About 30 oF shons have been completed. to Fred Seibert a upgriced! into a full series of 14 half-hours, Seibert expected f0 announce sales of preschool show Cave Kids at Mip TV. and show more sequences from the upcoming (Chicken From Outer Spaces __Jonny Quest, uch has already sold in most major ter- flores, Meanwhile Top Cats ‘making 2 return to the screen as a real-time animated talk Show host. The 20-pan sere featuning quests including Davie Hasselhof and Cas! Lewis, was produced ia LA by Kinnevik-owned Modern Cartoons (formerly Trash TV1. The shons will he broad: casts interstitials on Cartoon Network geal otteret as part fpircnt Turner international faunches! at My The | ftom 4 pannersup hesween CLT andl Medhatonin, the an mation suid owned byeee TURNER INTERNATIONAL CNN House 19-22 Rathbone Place London W1P 1DF Tel: (71) 637-6900 ‘One CNN Center Box 105366 Atlanta, GA 30348 ~ tel: (404) 827-5639 Stand: 07.02, 09.01 Contact: 805 Ross. pres., Tuner Internatonal, Atlanta. Mike Byrd, st. VP. TI. TV dist, Alana: Ross Por- tuges, mng. dr, London TL TV dist, London: Jean Viana, st. VP, Europe-T.. TV dst. Paris: Saale Mac Gregor, VP, Latin America T TWedist; Tory Marten, VP, Asia. Pace TL. TV dst, Sydney; Treicha Kershaw, sr. sales exec... TV dst, London: Lesiey Drukker, sales fexec, TH TV dist, London: Chto per Sanger, sales exec, T. TV (et, Pans: fle Moussa. di. mkt. Ti TV de. Alana: Leste Larnsoa, moe, mklg. TTY ast, Atlanta New PaooucT: ‘Andersonville: (2X2-nour min Settes) Min-senes about the famous (Gw War inert. Avenging Angel: (TV movie) Tom Berenger stars ts tale of brother- hood and betrayal nthe Old West, Beyond Rangoon: (fete tm) ‘Separated Wom ner four group inthe Far Eas. a young Amencan tnds the true meaning of fnencshin. Broken Trust: (TV movies) Morally ‘png judge uncovers a web of cor ‘upton tat ncludes tvs father City Hall (eature firm) An unlkely ‘couple vestigate a senes of kings stay Hal Forget Paris: feature tim) Bily (Crystal and Debra Winger starina funny look at when mariage begins, ‘The Held Chronicles: (TV move) Jamie Lee Curt stars in Uv stony based on the Puitzer Pree-wanng play {nthe Bleak Midwinter: teature fim) An out-of work actor mounts 3 procucton of Hamlet with he help of Bloroupot eccentrics anc mss. ‘ielios Yeature Him) This new peo- ‘tution stars Kenneth Branagh and Cawrence Ficnourne Fiders of the Purple Sage: (TV WORLD SCREEN NEWS APRIL 1996 ‘mavio) Adapted trom Zane Greys bost-xnowa novel ‘The Run of the Country: ieature firm) Kreland is the seting fr this love soy. ‘Striptease: (feature fim) Demi Moore stars in this comedy of lst, larceny and love as a Mian svip- ‘lub dancer. ‘Tecumseh: (TV movie) The story of the Shawnoe leader. ‘Waiting for Guttman: (feature fim) ‘Allamooyant choreosrapher is com- ‘missioned to produce a show honor ing the founding of Blaine, MO. ‘Cave Kids: (8X30 min.) Pebbles, ee and Dnosiarintier ‘own show. Dexter's Lat (13X30 min) eae as corel mponart ‘experiments in his room but is always intorupted by his sister. ‘Dumb & Dumber: (13X30 min) Ani maled seres based on the hit comedy. ventures of Jann Taiest (52X30 min} donny Guest ‘gets caught Up in some extraordinary ‘aavertures. ‘The Maak; (52X30 min.) Animated series based on the feature fim, Space Ghost Coast to Coast: (15 mm. Late-night tak show hosted by {cartoon superhero What a Cartoon! (45X7 min) New —gharacirs and stories from Hanna: Barbera {Lauren Hutton and 80X30 min.) Lauren Hutton hosts ber fist TV ‘The Lazarus Man: (20% hour: 1X2 hour pot oF 2Xt hour) A mysterious tango treed irom a grave in whic he was buried ave. World Championship Wresting: ‘The superstars of he WCW battle ‘against one another forthe quest to become ‘number one” ‘America’s Greatest Olympians: (@x1 hour) Traces Amencan pari: pation in the Olympic games. ‘Aspen Comedy Speial:(2X' hour) Features some 0! the best comedy ‘Tall, Dark and Hand- ‘Some: (1 hour) An in-cepth ook at the legendary actor. Goodwill Games: More than 1700 athetes trom 74 countries. Inside the Dream Factory: (90 min) ‘The history of Haywood during the studio days, hosted by Faye Dun- ‘away. Mortat Kombat: (40 rin.) The heroes trom the video game explode nto the sereen, ‘The Wizard of Oz in Concert: (2 hours) Brings together some ofthe biggest names in music, film and TV. 400 Years of Olympie Glory: (2X hour This tapestry of stories cele- brates @ century ofthe modern Olympics.RENNINGER’S ANTIQUE GUIDE MONDAY, APRIL 1, 1996 The Hanna-Barbera Studio, Part II By Hafiy L"Rinker’ creative team. and sales. 1958, was even greater William Danby Hanna Hanna handled technical success. The Huckleberry andloseph Roland Barbera ‘production. They werethe Hound Show featured joined the MGM cartoon perfect team, each focus- three separate cartoon seg- unit in 1937. Their part- ing on his strength and ments within the half- nership began in 1939 on each trusting the other to hour feature. Huckleberry “Puss Gets the Boot,” the uphold his commitment to Hound was a bloodhound cartoon that propelled the company's growth. As with a southern accent. Tom, the cat, and Jerry, the company grew, many While starring in his own the mouse, to cartoon former writers and car- cartoon, he shared guest stardom, toonists from the MGM billing with Pixie, Dixie, It is ironic that televi- cartoon unit joined Hanna. and Mr. Jinks, Hokey Wolf, sion, the very object that Barbera. and Yogi Bear. Hanna. ended Habna’s and Barbe ‘The company’s achieve- Barbera won an Emmy in ascites at MGM, pro- mente are monumental: GOST Bucher de vided them with anexpan- morethan3,500halthours first animated cartoon sion opportunity that of animated programming show towinan Emmy and made Hanna and Barbera and more than 250 differ- the first of many Emmys the Kings of Saturday ent series, specials, televi- the studio would garner. Morningtelevision for over sion motion pictures, and The Huckleberry House three decades. By 1957 the theatrical films. Its shows Show remained in syndica- movie industry was reel- have been seen in more tion through 1962, ing from television's im- than 90 countries and In 1959 Hanna-Barbera. pact. Fewer and fewer translated in 22 different launched ~ Quick Draw movie cartoon shorts were languages. McGri i being made. MGM disco- Ruff and Reddy, a six toon series starring slow: veredthattheincomefrom minute animated cartoon witted horse, based in the re-release of an old series for NBC, was somepartonRedSkelton's Tom and Jerry cartoon Hanna-Barbera’s’ first Clem Kaddiddlehopper nearly equaled the income “creative team effort. Ruff character, and his Mexi- from producing a new fea- was a dim-witted dog and can burro pal Babba Looey. ture, In less than a year Reddy was a ~quick™ Quick Draw-was joined by after being appointed joint thinking cat. The first Snooper and Blabber, two managers of MGM's car- episode cost $2,800 to pro- mouse detectives, and Au- toon unit following the duce, far less than the gie Doggie and Doggie retirement of Fred Quimby $50,000 MGM spent to Daddy, the later sounding in 1956, MGM ordered produce a cartoon of the very much like Jimmy Hanna_and Barbera to same length. The primary Durante. close the famed unit. reason was the develop- _ Had Hanna and Barbera Hanna and Barbera were ment by Hanna-Barbera of limited themselves only to ‘ssentally unemployed. a eeengeee tiesto Saturday morning car- Although Bill Hanna the use of far fewer cells toon genre, they still would brad a job offer to join persecond. Ruffand Reddy be considered among tele- another cartoon company, was an immediate hit. _vision’s pioneering greats. he cast his fortunes with If a six minute cartoon However, it was the intro- joseph Barbera, sharing a proved successful, what duction of the prime time ee ee ‘would happen if the con- cartoon series that ele- wave of cartoons for tele. cept was extended toafull vated them to legend sta- vision. In 1957 theyformed half-hour show? The tus. Beginning in 1960 Hanna-Barbera Produc: answer, as The Huckleb- Fred, Wilma, Barney, tions. Barbera headed the erry Hound Show provedin Betty, Dino, and a host ofotherStoneAgecharacters that continue to air on acquired by Taft Broad: living in Bedrock graced networks and ~, in casting of Cincinnati, Prime time televigion syndication. Ohio, Hanna and Barbera screens for six years. To The appearance af The remainedat the company’s day The Flintstones ranks Adventures of Jonny Quest, helm. In addition to car as one of the top-rated the first animated show to toon series and specials, television programsinsyn- use realistic human fig: Hanna-Barbera began pro- dication history. Despite ures, opened the way for “ducing Tiveaction studio mixed reviews, The Flint- a host of other Hanna: productions, winning Em- stones motion picture was Barherg cartoon series, mys for The Runawaysand the number four top- “eg., Superfriends, Scooby: The Gathering. grossingfilm worldwidein Doo, Where Are You? and In 1981 Hanna-Barbera 1994. Stace Chast rang inoduced the Sir an Pioneering yet again, Hanna an s, animated series based on iananharberaintratced intigittion. stretched - ane ite blve people ‘op Cat on September 27, from the Stone Age to the-—created by Peyo, a Belgian 1961, as part of ABC’S Space Age. In 1962 The artist. Not only did. the prime time line-up. Top Jetsons rocketed intoprime Smurfs lift NBC from Cat featured an ensemble ‘time. Although lasting number three to number cast instead of focusing on only one-season, theJetson one in the Saturday morn- a dominant individual or family, George, Jane,Judy, ing cartoon ratings, it was, duo. Top Cat was pat- and Elroy reappeared as a the first cartoon series to terned in part after Sgt. Saturday morning net- run one hour, and later 90 Bilko, the television char- work program, just as did minutes, in ‘length. The acter created by Phil TopCat,whereitremained show ran for nine seasons Silvers. Officer Dribble for 15 years. The 1987 and garnered two Emmys. ‘was the perfect foil for this telefilm, The Jetsons Meet In 1987 Great American crafty street cat. After The Flintstones, brought Communications bought lasting one season in prime these two prime time fam- Taft Entertainment. time, the show shifted to ilies together. Jetsons: The Hanna and Barbera re. Saturday mornings on Movie premiered as a full- ‘mained as co-chairmen ABC. = length animated featurein until 1989 when David By 1961 Yogi Bear and 1999. Kirschner, a former inde- Boo Boo, Jellystone Park's Unfortunately, mostcol- pendent ‘producer, as- two most famous bears, lectors think of Hanna: sumed leadership. In late hhad become such audience Barbera only in terms of 1991 Turner Broadcasting favorites that Hanna. “prime time and Saturday System, Inc., acquired Barbera boosted them to morning cartoon features. iaBarbera, In April Tee R roe and created Unucktboleiged are the Oped eee bene ‘The Yogi Bear Show. Yogi many prime time specials President and Tocused on introduced Snagglepuss such as Jack and the Bean- television program devel- and Yakky Doodle to tel stalk, for which Hanna- opment while Kirschner evision viewers, Hey There Barbera won its second concentrated solely on It's Yogi Bear was released “Emmy in 1967. The prim- theatrical projects. In April as a feature film in 1964. ary reason is little or no 1998 Seibert took over the Yogi, smarter-than-the- licensed merchandise as- reigns oF the entire average bear, has starred sociated with these spe company. for over 25 years in a cials. Shortly after win- ‘Thejury remains out as number of series, includ ning the Emmy for Jack to whether or not the new ing Yogi's Gang and Yogi's and the Beanstalk, Hanna- management team at Space Race, and specials Barbera Productions was (Continued on agp!0) (Continued from page 7) shorts debuting on the toons (New York: Chelsea Hanna-Barbera will even Cartoon Network during House: 1981). Hanna is “come close to equaling the the next two years. The working on ai autobio. quality and breadth of hope is that the project graphy, tentatively titled legendary cartoon charac- will produce several new ‘A Cast of ‘Friends, sche- ters created by BillHanna, cassiccartoon characters. duled for publication by ani lor aE Sr. arn more about TO Publishing Com Planet is no Yogi Bear; Hanna and Barbera, read SWAT Kats are no Top Joseph Barbera’s My Le Note: Much ofthe above Cat. Hanna-Barbera cur- Tn Toons, published by informationisfroma press rently is engaged in the TurHerPublishingin 1994, release entitled “A History Production of its World_ and thir entries in Mau: of Hanna-Barbera Car. Premier Toons project, a rice Horn’s (editor) The toons” provided to me feries of 48 new cartoon World Encyclopedia of Car. Hanna-Barbera, Inc. "‘ THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER CARTOONS ON THE BAY SPECIAL ISSUE Htaly toons-in a new animation festival on the Amalfi Coast. hey say timing is everything, and organiz~ crs of the inaugural Cartoons on the Bay festival hope that, like clockwork, atten- dees will descend on Italy's eolorful ‘Amalfi coast this month to participate in an event that spotlights an oft-neglected festi- val subject: commercial animated product. Officially known as the Cartoons on the Bay International Festival of Animation: Films, TV Series and Fairy Tales. the April 15-18 affair concludes a day before the annual MIP-TV confab in Cannes begins. making it ~ organizers hope — a convenient stopover for dealmakers on theit way to the South of ance. Representatives from such companies 3 Hanna-Barbera. the Walt Disney Co.. \Wimer Bros and Canal Plus confirm they'll pilenmage to southem Italy t0 tlk shop about the types of toons in demand. As fof March 12, the event had registered 250 ‘ngsuals fom 120 companies | 4 crowded festival marketplace (the Catt animation festival in Wales has 3 May APRIL 9, 1996 THyRepor4n ER. SPECIAL REPORT: CARTOONS ON THE BAY date and the biannual Onawa snimation fai is in October), festival anistic coordinator Alfio Bastiancich points out that Cartoons on the Bay is targeting a niche he says is generally ‘overlooked: commercial TV animation. Bastiancich is confident the fledgling fest- val will find its place. “There is no other festi- val like this.” he notes of the event. which is sponsored by SACIS, the Rome-based export arm of Italian government broadcaster RAI “The other festivals, ike Annecy. Ottawa and Hiroshima, focus their activities on auteur films ‘and not so much on individual TV production." ‘One of Canoons on the Bay's main goals, Basiiancich says, isto give producers of anima- tion and the animation industry at large a ehance 1 see worldwide TV product “and think about the opportunities of TV animation and to strive for quality.” To that end. the event's seminar, sponsored by UNICEF, will be themed around ‘an examination of "Cartoons and Violence.” A Closing-night ceremony will see juried awards in seven categories. Called the Pulcinella BY JOHN BURMAN ‘Awards, after the well-known 16th century Neapolitan commedia dell" arte character, the honors include best all-around program, best family program, best character and best pro- ‘gram for adults. Adds SACIS chairman Giampaolo Sodano, who spearheaded the idea forthe fes- tival: “With animation occupying 20% of the ‘sudiovisual market and becoming a growing trend, as of yet there has never been a festival that analyzes and rewards the very best in TV cartoons. Cartoons on the Bay will bring together animators worldwide to officially acknowledge the ereative and productive forces behind animation.” While there is an emphasis on children’s Product. teenage and adult fare are expected to be well represented during the four days 's mostly — but not only — for children. ‘This is another goal of the festival. to show that [animated] TV production is not only for children. but that it's there for teenagers and ada."THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER CARTOONS ON THE BAY SPECIAL ISSUE Among tiles in competition and screenings at press time were: Great Britain's “The Wind in the Willows.” from TV Cunoons London: "Santo Bugito™ and "Duckman" from Klasky Csupo (United States) “Lite Bear” (Canada): “The Magic Schoo! Bus” (United States); “Reboot” (Canada); “La Familia Spaghetti" (aly); and “Insektors” from Fantome ‘Animation (France). Not to be left out, feature films will share some of the spotlight. notably a 20-minute pre- view of the Walt Disney Co.'s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” a summer °96 US. release ‘Warmer Bros. TV aly managing director Rosano Ponzio, who will sereen the compa. y's “Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries” during the festival says he's thankful that it does not include a market, and thus far has no plans to. “There are so many markets during the year They shouldn’t do that here. They just need 10 ‘make ita nice, credible festival.” ® __ DIC president and CEO Andy Heyward Sys the fesuval’s focus and the corporate mus. le behind Canons on the Bay ar helping to APRIL 9, 1996 draw attendees. “[French animation festival] ‘Annecy is more anisteriven, Is less look at ‘Commercial work out there. plus the fact that RAL. one of the mst important broadcasters, is backing {Cartoons onthe Bay) does not hurt = Hanna-Barbera Cartoons Inc. president Fred Seiber agrees. “Over the years. the festival? uit has usually been a World of non-conanee, ial works since there are not alot of outlets for animators in the non-commercial world" Buy Seibert notes that with the worldwide {xplosion in animation. from MTV's “Liquid TV" to his own company's “What A Cartoon! collection of shorts, the traditional TV ous ‘are creating room for everyone, “The amazing thing is how popular ani- ‘mation has gotten, and that all these countries ‘Want to be a part of it.” says Phil Roman, resident of Los Angeles-based animation house Film Roman, “This isa fairly new phe omenon, evolving over the past 10 years ‘That's largely a function of the boom in cable and satellite, as well as commercial TV outlets But DIC's Heyward cautions that too much 0f & good thing can smudge the reality of the total picture from a financial point Of view. With new outlets, “the Pie is being split imo more and ‘more pieces.” he says. “With that, license fees 20 down,” Co-productions with do- ‘mestic and foreign partners (like DIC's with France's Hamster Television in Paris) and lower cosis in some cases ddue te cheaper technology were fingered as ways to offset a ‘company’s financial exposure and detici, ‘Though the festival's philosophical empha: Seiben is adamant that the quai ‘and characters drives the toy deal, ther affiliated li ven by the film. Anything you se driven by 2 {oy line or deal is nota world-class film and at best isa shon-term proposition,” he wane of story Heyward agrees. “It's gotta be the show, In some markets the toy There will work against you such scrutiny. If you do have a toy 'sB0t to be backed up by a good show.” Toronto-based Nelvana Ltd. chairman Michael Hirsh reaffirms the imponance of the ‘content vs. the commerce. “Generally, | think the show is more imponant tothe broadcaser. ‘The licensing means there wil be extra promo- tion, but — especially in the intemational mar ‘et— there's areal emphasis onthe property.” Optimistic animators believe quality will take you along way. Two companies taking a vastly different approach to the creation of character and brand management are Chatsworth, Calif.-based Calico Creations {Ud, and Imagination Factory Inc. The pair are teaming up with Hallmark Entertainment Prods. for “Bad Baby. Scheduled to ait on a U.S, network in the {all with the voices of Jim Belushi, Kathleen Tumer and Nancy Canwright, “Bad Baby” is 2 two-hour primetime telefilm based on Patrick McDonnell's comic strip for Parents ‘magazine. It will then be shopped overseas for ‘theatrical distribution, according to CalicoCreations Lid. president and CEO Tom Burton and Imagination Factory Inc. president and CEO Stanford Blum, Burton says the three-way alliance has helped the companies focus their efforts on Acquiring and developing properties that from the onset are suited to multiplatforming. “We've had the forethought to be working on Dropenies that aren’t just a hot spot. but long ‘erm, ean be an evergreen that can go into pub- lishing. multimedia. feature films.” he says With upcoming animated properties like “Zorro” and “TerrsTopia.” they keep an eye on franchiseable concepts. which in tur can lead t0 toy deals — a critical elememt. they say. in securing sation clearance for syndicat- ed programming in the United States. “That's the Catch-22." says Blum. “The ne1work doesn’t worry about the toy deal. But When you sian syndication, the toy deal clears ‘the time. That's your biggest problem. If you don't have 2 master toy:licensee or someone {6 put up that money. you're in trouble.” (Quality these days so means ess come bat und ageression, globuliss repon. In Europe. they don't want violence. In Japan it's hey.” says IFT's Blum, “You either have to do une type of show or the other. In Europe you ean’t get violence on the ait Film Roman chict Phil Roman agrees that European prosrammers ure more sensitive to ‘Tres are very shttish about action- sventure sms They re pulling back" “You Sant international compatiblity: in projects, Soren continues “You'd have an easier time 4 devil seestup shaw than a violently ‘TerraTupia’ pies you con Tics Utama gid charseter development with: i clays allan with Lver-beams coming ot Me palms It wotks am Europe and the Nef ateas. Whe Asiy_ It has a universal shout tne emsironment, I's a very Prmsoxtal pieve There 1a sensi to create educational hut sompetiise ang commercial. produet, GanpacleSodane ‘Alo Barancich THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER CARTOONS ON THE BAY SPECIAL ISSUE APRIL 9, 1996 "Netana's “Lint Bear" and “Hlp™ a Hanne Barbera “What Ganon Heyward says, “Heretofore that's been difficult {o achieve. Shows with those qualities are usue ally boring. They can’t compete with “Batman’ and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." Redeeming. positive shows can draw ratings. as ‘our ‘Where inthe World Is Carmen Sandiego? has proved. but it's been difficult to get there A majority of executives fee! that what's working in terms of product is what's always worked: the classics. Seibert labels it “the clar- Sic-length comedic shor, where the impulse behind itis pure and true comedy animation with a physical approuch. That's a classic international approach. like our “What a Caron" shons. rather than sitcom approach, “SHIEH Ts more specitic culturally. The ‘Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat” show that Film Roman produced last year fits that mold, so does “Animanizes” from Warmer Bros. As content quota restrictions overseas (specifically Europe) remain an important issue that looms larger following February European Parliament move to tighten TV quo- ta and place restrictions on emerging media, Several execs noted they have already taken Michael Fish ‘shor. are ening export EPS 10 defray some of the concer over their roduc airing overseas, “Like all filmmaker. we are all looking for people from any country for project.” says Hanna-Barberu's Seibert “We are looking to widen our base OF Timmakers (Animator and festival honorary committee member) Brun Bozzetto is 3 perfect example of that, Bruno ‘made the shor film Help?” under our auspices entirely in Hal. 1 sce people setting up anim tion studios where there's talent to suppor it Quotas are Jes the reason. People have woken Up to the fact that good films are god films whether they are animated of not. More compe tition means better pictures. which means & wider audience As for the hotter animation territories Hirsh highlights South America and the United Kingdom. but says Spain, Italy and the Netherlands are soft right now. “partly because of an economic recession in Spain and Italy. Netherlands has been controlled. We are looking for that region to expand, Asia has been sleeping and has not paid lot for: Cartoons. but we expect that to improve.”THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER CARTOONS ON THE BAY SPECIAL ISSUE APRIL 9, 1996 ‘What: First Annval Cartoons on the Bay =nternational Festival of Animation: Films, TV Series and Fairy Tales When: April 15-18 Where: Amalfi, a seaside resort town in southem Italy. it was originally a Roman city that was the country’s first Maritime Republic Why: To provide an arena for commer- cially oriented animation products, with an emphasis on those for television and new media Who: Promoted by SACIS, with Suppor from Regione Campania, Provincia di Salemo, Comune di Amalfi, Comune di Ravello, Comune di Salemo, Azienda Promozione Turistica, Provincia di Salemo in collaboration with the Giffoni Film Festival Sponsored By: Wtalian Association of ‘Animation Films (ASIFA-ltaly) SCHEDULE Competition Screenings, 7-11 p.m. Nightly screenings of Pulcinella Award entries Daly screenings include 2 2Usminute sneak of Disney s The Hunchback of Note ‘Seminars and Panels: Teese, APRUL 16 2M p.m. Registration X p.m. Welcome William chief radio. TV and {lm seewon, division of information, UNICEF 3:30 pam. Cartoons and the Imaginary World of Children Affects of cartoons on the development of the imaginary world of ciuldren from the pornt of view of language. content and cultural val ves uansmulted. Speakers: Anna Olivero Ferrans, psychologist, lly Pierre Corset. INA. France. Andre Caron, University of Montreal Canada; Marina d°Amato, sociologist. Italy. Moderators: Mario Lodi, Italy: Anne Mane Meissonmer, France 445 pum. Guest Speaker Funo Colombo, journalist. aly 5 pam. Open discussion WeDsespay. APRIL 17 9:30 a.m. Ethies and Creanvity FFrom the creation of characters to the narrative structures, the cre: uve process of @ carnoon on television poses for the author limita tuons based on the target audie Heve: In what measure can creativity And ethics live together? Case Histon: “Meena.” a story from South Asia by UNICEF. Speakers: William Hetzer. UNICEF: David Howard, scenarst, United States: Isao Takahata, author, Japan: Joan Lofts. head of programming TCC. United Kingdom: Florance Bolt. ‘Canada: Gilberto Tinacei Manneli Maly Lam. Cartoons as Product Perhaps more than any other audiovisual work, canons are revealing themselves to be an extraordinary consumer product. What checks and guarantees are used as parameters to control access to the market? Speakers: Gianfranco Muntefering. WDR, Deutschland: Anna Home, hhead of childrens programs BBC, United Kingdom: Andy Heyward, president and CEO, DIC; Arminia Maid, aly: Eddy Jamous, lay Noon Open discussion 1:30 pam. Lunch ‘THuRsDay, APRIL 18 : 9 pam. Presentation ‘The Amalfi Guidelines Closing Ceremonies: the Pulcinella Awards TBD: European Strategies Panel discussion organized by Cartoon Media that will discuss new media strategies in animation. Speakers: Fred Seibert. president, Hanna-Barbera Cartoon Studio: Bruno ‘Bozzeno, animator, Andy Heyward, president, DIC, Jean-Francois Laguione; Guido Manuli: Jimmy Murakami; Carlo Rambaldi: Isa0 ‘Takahata: Alexander Trauntmansdorff Further information can be found at ‘hnp:/iwww planetitaly com/spaziovcartoonsbay —1B.THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER CARTOONS ON THE BAY SPECIAL ISSUE ‘Among tities in competition and screenings at press ume were: Great Britain's “The Wind in the Willows." from TV Canons London: “Samo Bugito” and “Duckman” from Klasky CCsupo (United States): “Little Bear” (Canada); “The Magic School Bus” (United States) “Reboot” (Canada); “La Familia Spaghet (italy); and “Insektors” from Fantome ‘Animation (France), NNot to be left out, feature films will share some of the spotlight notably a 20-minute pre- view of the Walt Disney Co.'s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” 2 summer ‘96 US. release, ‘Wamer Bros, TV Italy managing director Rosario Ponzio. who will screen the compa- ny’s “Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries” during the festival. says he's thankful that it does not include a market, and thus far has no plans to. “There are so many markets during the year. ‘They shouldn't do that here. They just need 10 make ita nice credible festival.” TIC president and CEO Andy Heyward the festival's focus and the corporate mus- cle behind Cartoons on the Bay aze helping to ‘Hee, APRIL 9, 1996 ‘draw attendees. “[French animation festival] ‘Annecy is more atise-criven. I's less a look at ‘commercial work out there. plus the fact that RAL one of the most important broadcasters. is ‘backing [Cartoons on the Bay] does not hurt.” ‘Hanna-Barbera Cartoons Ine. president Fred Seibert agrees. “Over the years the festival ca= ¥ cuit has usually been 2 world of non-commer- cial works since there are not a lot of outlets for animators in the non-commercial world.” ‘But Seiben notes that with the worldwide explosion in animation, from MTV's “Liquid ‘TV w his own company’s “What A Cartoon!” collection of shons, the traditional TV outlets ‘ae creating room for everyone. “The amazing thing is how popular ani- ‘mation has gotten, and that all these countries want to be a part of it.” says Phil Roman, president of Los Angeles-based animation hhouse Film Roman. “This is a fairly new phe- ‘nomenon, evolving over the past 10 years. That's largely a function of the boom in cable and satellite, as well as commercial ‘TV outlets.” ‘But DIC’s Heyward cautions that too much ‘ofa good thing can smudge the reality of the ‘otal picture from a financial point of view. With new outlets, “the pie is being split imo more and more pieces.” he says. “With that. license fees go down.” Co-productions with do- mestic and foreign partners (like DIC’s with France's Hamster Television in Paris) and lower costs in some cases ‘duc tc cheaper technology were fingered as ways 10 offset a “78 2 "What a Cartoon shor, are enjayngexporabiy, ‘company’s financial exposure and defcis. ‘Though the festival's philosophical empho- sis is on quality, profitability is sure to be a hot topic among the commercally-driven group. and that means international icensing will bei the spodight ‘Sciber is adamant thatthe quality of story ‘and characters drives the toy deal. and any ther affiliated licensing agreement. “It's dr ‘ven by the film. Anything you see driven by 2 toy Tine oF deal is not 2 world-class film and. at best. isa short-term proposition," he wars. Heyward agrees. “It's gorta be the show. In Some markets, the toy will work against you. ‘There is such scrutiny. If you do have 2 toy line, it's got to be backed up by a good show.” Toronto-based Nelvana Ltd. chairman Michael Hirsh reaffirms the importance of the ‘content vs. the commerce, “Generally, | think the show is more important to the broadcaster. ‘The licensing means there will be extra promo tion, but — especially in the international ma- ket — there's a real emphasis on the property.” Optimistic animators believe quality will take you a long way. Two companies taking @ vastly different approach to the creation of character and brand management are Chatsworth, Calif.-based Calico Creations Ltd. and Imagination Factory Ine. The pai are teaming up with Hallmark Entertainment Prods. for “Bad Baby.” Scheduled to air on a U.S. network in the fall with the voices of Jim Belushi, Kathleen ‘Tomer and Nancy Canwright, “Bad Baby” is ‘8 two-hour primetime telefilm based on Patrick MeDonnell’s comic strip for Parenis ‘magazine. It will then be shopped overseas for theatrical distribution, according to CalicoLawrence Daily Journal-World Saturday, April 20, 1996 mated weries—featuring Dexter, the litle seienine senfus'and his big bossy Sister, Dee Dee—will az Saturdays ‘Channel. "World Premiers ‘Topnse WE Intodce | 30 mew shorts last year, is ' production of Cartoon Network Studios, a division | of Hanna-Barbera Cartoons; was founded to cultivate new talent and find the ‘est aroon sta. The ute ‘mate goal Is to ereate 3 dynamic studio enterprise in the image of Warner Brothers dunng the 1940s and 19503. At the time, the sudo brought to life won erful characters like Bugs Bury Tom and Jey, and vetig elt ws made to get. viewer "feedback through direct mail, 800, numbers, online exchanges, and consumer promotions. Hanna creator of whe Flintstones and Jetsons,” fs now owned by Turner’ Broadcasting System, ine. “Dexter's Laborato ‘ast popt US of the shor, created by an obviously talented oonist, 26-year-old Gena 1 Fans the Warner Brothers’ naginative and furry ani, q i ibs cartoons ofBoston Sunday Globe Sunday, April 21, 1996 : Dexter's Laboratory,” the first breakout cartoon star from the “World: + Rezmuiere Toons” project, will be expanded into anew halfhour series beginning Saturday night at 6 on TNT. GGG iPRINT MARKETING CONCEPTS WEEK OF APRIL 21, 1996 Cheyne is a spoiled, dramie stad eerprice onpluned rich isd who ls in the image of Warner off a loxury liner taking Broecs dring the 19405, | bm to boarding school He 10805 Atte tine, te Enitedwp tye cer of Suda brow le som | ‘Troop’s boas, the “We're geal characters ike Bugs er” He mmes work bard Bauvy, Tam and Jey, and to eam his keep. In the Yowerize Sam. Process ‘he gradually “Adi eat was madeto Changes from a rude, get viewer feedback Secettul brat to an under’ Through direct mail, 800 one | asworty em ume otine exciongas arson, api consumer prone. Vadas ("The Santa < Bams'Barber, eretor of Gute"), chasen wo play “The nes and Greyne from tore than “hsm spew owned by 100 ceudidres, deers Turer’ "Sees oma b ne te Sp ie rl ss a “was 0 eine Laat agpareey te te pop Pepmieldectame eofme tata peceed Tha ely on dead (GR by sn obviowty elcated sels age orfed ale chneonist Sessa G2 sete frm beng ox ‘Po ‘pe occ tr La hotrs ofthe Warner Bathe’ frye twee ail magraive nn hua tobe ated pres, ower Eh ng te Ei ae thee (Soon who wise cer _Butpon rares fhe boy, and’ KacEnk —Ginlenas to oe nes ar Eriksen ‘shines a3 Dan. Sway Syste or Fa Rete naeelots Benen sn. Family’ ‘Channel ang“? MR ™HE thew, WEEK OF: APRIL 21 nted oesy ‘Laboratory of love POL nerdy hero ‘toon into formula for success CoB ety Peer asec Pres cus‘THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE APRIL 21-27, 1996 Animator’s ‘Dexter’ drawn from experience © By Nancy Jalasca Randle Scoala Te Tes "year-old animation dire (Tiny Toons, “The Critic”) bounds into the room with a force of energy resembling that of the carbon characters he creates. ‘Your first instinct isto call him Genndy, not Mr, Tarsakovsky. Part of that impulse re Aa armaner Par oft stems from his dress: knee-length cutoffs, T= shir, and athletic shoes that make him look like an adult-sized version of the audience that watches his animated shor. ‘The publicist fog Hanna-Baher is schedul- ing him “rainute-by-minute,” The pressure of handling the publicity for the launch of “De tees Laboratory" from 7-mnute cartoon short io tenes stalus sits squarely and comfortably on the arist’s shoulders. He doesn't mind the frantic schedule: be doesn't mind leaving the studio at 11 pum. during countdown to debut (5 pm. Saturday on TNT 8:30 am. on TBS and £:30 pum. on the Cartoon Network, April 28) te doesn't mind the responsibility, Buoyed by 21995 primetime Emmy Award nomination tnd an Annie Award forthe short version of his cartoon about a boy genius, he's fielding itll ‘There isa solid core beneath his youthfl demeanor that reveals itself in the calm he ‘maintains in the eye of the storm and in the Concise no-nonsense way he answers ques- tions. These traits are the center of a work hic he brought with him from Chicago. ) work ethic definitely comes from the Midwest, After I was accepted to Cal Arts, I cleaned boilers and skyscrapers to raise the money to study ar.” ‘A Moscow native, he immigrated to the United States with his parents and older brother in 1977, They settled in Chicago when he was nine. There in the family home in the hear of the city, his fascination with animation and cartoons escalated, ’Aza kid, he copied his comic books, draw- ing "Spider-Man" and “Iron Man," “All the superhero stuf,” be remembers. His parents paid for drawing lessons and encouraged him. ‘As a senior in high school, be sul got up every Saturday moming to watch “The New Adven- tures of Mighty Mouse," "Super Friends” and “prety much everything that was on.” He saw allof the Disney classics and every other ani~ mated feature tat came to ‘own, “Taniakovsky spent two years at Columbia Tollege beiore atending Cal Ans. “I have to give Columbia a lot of credit. [got a great Foundation there. A couple of teachers —especially Stan Hughes—helped me in every way they could. 1 learned a lot about On the Cover: Tribune photo illustration by A. Slowish a film and about the technical support that I heeded.” During hit second year at Columbia, he contributed the animation por tion of te multimedia theatrical “Stumpy's Game” staged in Chicago. ‘Atal Arts, he wrote, directed, produced and animated two srident fms. One of these became th basis for "Dexter's Laboratory" ‘The shor focuses on a boy genius who rss his room into a laboratory for neverending experiments, His sister Dee Dee is his neme: ‘e--cager to get her hands onal of hs latest inventions. Dexter became Tamtakaysky's Ucket to participation in @ new animation xpenmeat. The executives at Hanna-Barbera land the Cartoon Network saw Ris shor and hired him to become part of a major project. “The studio and the network joined forces in 1994 0 forge a new direction for animation. Taking this nspration fom the golden years of the ar, World Premiere Toons modeled their production methods on thor used by the studios inthe 1940s, The studio and the net ‘work sets goal to create and si 48 seven Iminute cartoon shorts during a 0-year period. This equals the output ofthe major Studios in thir animation heyday. ‘One animation nit—ineloding adiretor, a switer and erste—focuses on the creation of 2 ingle short caroon from sat to finish. The animation directors given a large measure of ‘creative contol and te fresdom fo create one artoon ata ine. Similar techniques pro- faced cartoon superstar ike Tom and Jerr. Bugs Bunny, nd Mickey Mouse I's a syle ‘of working tha amounts to paradise for thoes ‘creating the cartoons, Tarkovsky thrives on Dex (right) and his sister Dee Dee dual with one of the boy-scientist's latest inventions. the advantages of this system. “Tknow from working around town on dif- ferent projects, it's very hard to get some- thing made the way you envision it. Execu- tives don’t trust the vision. They're paying. forit so they have night, but they always want to put two cents in, then another two cents, and ittums into something that is not yours. “When I eame to Hanna-Barbera, I really had nothing to lose because I was just start~ ing out. There wasn'ta long way to drop, so 1 thought I might as well do it the way I wanted to do it. And they were all for that. They completely left me alone. Luckily, because the first two eame out very well, they trust me, So I had carte blanche when I did the series, too.” 2" became the high- cest-rated short to debut on Cartoon Network. Dexter isthe first breakout cartoon star in the World Premiere Toons series thanks t0 a Feedback system set up to evaluate viewer response. Focus groups, an 800-line, an ‘line bulletin board, and summer promo- tions gave the boy genius a chance to move to the next level: half-hour series. [Nineteen years ago when his parents immi- ‘grated to America, their primary motivation ‘as to benefit their two sons. They wanted to remove them from a political system that placed boundaries on their options in life because they were Jewish. Jartakovsky's. ‘mother died when he was 16, his father died ‘when he was 21. At26, his accomplishments Ihave already surpassed his parents expectations ‘and brought to him a freedom of choice exceed- ing by far their modest iramigrant dreams.PROGRAMMI ING CABLE GUIDE APRIL 22, 1996 T grew up feeding on animation. But [ee ease tse smitty three hours a week of non-educational television — she exempted Monty Python from this rule because of the vocabulary = Ihad to hoard my TV allowance for ‘Saturday morning cartoons. In the glory days of my youth, it seemed there was OONFUL | A Turner experiment whose time has come ‘That's quite an unfair standard to ap- | ply to such a fledgling work, but [have | ‘mixed feelings after watching several | episodes. The munchkinsized madcap scientist and his melodramatic sister Dee Dee certainly generate a frenzy of action and twist against a brilliant ani- mated backdrop. One sibling battle be- tween competing *Mom-droids” an unending abun- dance of Bugs Bunny, Scooby Doo and Rocky and Bullwinkle for my Saturday feasts Then came the Dark Ages, Pres- sured to develop en- tire series intact, matches up well with the best of | Bugs in generating slap happy laughs. Despite being irascible, irreverent and frequently irra- tional, Dezter still needs work, though, with the almighty merchandising angle in ming, animators | chumed outa stew | of pale imitators marked by stiff ani- TBS SuperStation Dexter), then at mation and soulless ;, i least on the charac- tees Beginning April 27-28 ters and story Hines I's about time ‘That is, after all, somebody restr rected the golden days of TV anima- tion, Nickelodeon already has pro- duced some noble efforts, but it may be Cartoon Net ‘work and its studio, Hanna-Barbera ] that have recreated Dexter's Laboratory Cartoon Network, TNT, If not on Dexter's Eastern European accent (Christine Cavanaugh, the voice for Babe does what made Bugs Bugs, and I believe the folks at Cartoon and Hanna-Barbera know that So here's to the process and the hope that it leads toanew golden age. Home & Garden Television's latest original Gardens of | the cartoon farm system with World Premiere Toons | The idea: give ‘CELLULOID HERO? Ont time wil tell f the ‘new Tumer Broadcasting cartoon Dexter's Laboratory willbe the next Bugs Bunny. the World with Audrey Hepbura, which premieres animators the support and environment to produce shorts, promote those spots, and then sit back and see which charac: ters emerge suitable for longer series. ‘That method has produced the latest Chuck Jones, 26-year-old whiz kid x (Tiny Toons; Batman, the Animated Series), whose i hort debuted to the highest ratings yet for a World Premiere Toon. The network hopes Dexter wil be its frst breakout star to fuel a new, half hour series on Cartoon, TNT and TBS SuperStation. Is Dester the next Bugs or Mickey? April 28 at 9 p.m. (ET), marks the final ‘Wo episodes completing the series that began on PBS in 1993, ‘There's not quite enough Hepbum to warrant the billing, But Michael York fills in eloquently as narrator, and the lush footage, especialy in topical gar- dens from Hawaii to Chile, takes over from there, ‘The experience left me yearning for | 2 scratch ‘n’ sniff pad to accompany my visual tour, as well as reassured that newer networks like HGTV can put ‘compelling, quality programming on air | fora smaller, but passionate, audieneHOUSTON CHRONICLE for-kids of all-ages. them So if they make us “Primate and hghts these hi e the lacie forces oi evil,” explains ‘Tartakovsky, who was raised on a Tyan ‘ iuperiends, Balle of the igentanises 2 Cai ter’s. premieres at So Bugs Biny, gDeUere Labora his cartoons “minifeatures.” .y “They're played not at Sunday on TR an sah eB a8 uty a athe Cate Ne as Sophistication of execution,” he DyMiKEMeDANEL Yu Patenencncet Baer VK, rae secant bs cae Dez ter8 Laboratory is geting STO “GRamphant debut = snd thse key syllable here. Three of the Turn. ef elertainment channels ~"TNT mary raf eee eo alae iconly rlf ou the series, but also car guess wha Des “and guess wha? shi Racers ol Beas ally drawn and imaginative car- toon that both adults and children wind ty Dexter is a brilliant child scientist, a short and squatty character who foves to invent su For example When his parens tel him he eaa't Say up to watch TV “untl Sider he concocts an ging fom- funhisi Unfortunately, his “experiments odten go ay, ‘and usually thas Dee Dee's fault. She's Dexter's dis- beter ofa sists, a cute and the ballerina type with big blue inndcent ~ tyes ubo loves to deve her brother puts. For example, with grace and -. charm — practically floating across. the screen = she fois Beers ring plans. He becomes so old ne an boriy wate He gets to sy y fate ~ bu alls asleep wateang "T have an older brother en hada these reae toys an hed never ft me play with em says ny the show's writer and director. “So 1 Dee Dee. 1 would always come in and play with them." se 26. stare id s prudent borin Moscow and raised in Coicago, Tar. tatorsiay used to work on the Bate Toons, but when he got the chance wo do Bis own show, he grabbed it. ‘Last year, Derter showed up on the Cartoon Network's World Pre- ‘uisre Toons show and earned as Emmy nomination. This year, Der ‘evs got his own series, backed by » powerhouse toon’ producers sos Barbe “We're all 2-year.olds” says Tar fakovsig, refering to his colators, Tar Ui tovek nests heart. We stil watch cartoons and WEDNESDAY, APRIL Ure hred hee ‘Dexter’ will be fun’ 2eeteBae monkey. Nothing Dexter does tothe ani- “gual seems-to have an effect, but as “a soan'as the kid leaves the room, ‘the animal becomes Monkey, Super pam. Suin- additional showings during the week. NEW YORK TIMES ae y 24, 1996 “ TV Notes A Cartoon Winner Soon atter the Cartoon Network stared in 1892, Its ereators began & companion project to generate new eartcons. Word went out to anima: ‘ors, both established and new, invit= ‘ng ‘them to submit seven-minute Grom plot. Tose jdgad beat are 2 eveoped athe Hanne tbera studio and shown on the 24-hot ‘Cartoon Network in a series called “Moni Premiere Toone Telus a the mast popular ones may get 4 full-time slot, ad ve The fist to earn that vote of ap- proval (actual votesby Cartoon Net Serk. viewers. arouné- the world helped make te choice) 1s" Dexter's. | laboratory,” Starting this Boerne, | evil become.s regular half-hour fers, on the Cartoon Network and Is ssier Turmer nevworks, TBS and TNT, I Demer is a boy scientist with an! sromense laboratory in his bedroom and a sister named Dee Dee (a pr. ‘ma donna of a ballerina) constantly in his way. Created by the 2oyear- old Genndy “Tar Dexter seca vole Tom Christine Cave augh, who for aug who spoke for the pig in "We all oved the humor to the brother-versursister relationship sale Mice Lazzo, head of propreey ming for the Cartoon Netware nds. tng thar is was his tavorte of thet ‘orld Premiere Toons” t date "The Sere tae te ser whe every Bi a Sart but in an opposte direction they're both very funny he se LAWRIE MIPELIN AW +THE NEW YORK TIMES WEDNESDAY APRIL 24, 1996 TV Notes 2 The Sunday night rating ware» Looking (too closely?) at health care executives. A Cartoon Winner ‘Sem shar the Seren Newark Dexter ts 2 boy scientist with sn ators began & ‘constaatiy San aren Sommer nee Samed cae rt Sea eee aoaee nt Pd sna renee ential er oa HEE SeEL Ruhiomoma cae” TE wil Deorae a regular balthour — "#/7© Dom very Say" be oo ia Sac eee See a ‘Dee Dee and her brother, emer, of “Dexter's Laboratory," anew series ‘whose popularity with viewers won Fa spat on the Cartoon Network.THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE APRIL 25, 1996 % The Charleston Gazette, inursday, Apni 25, 1996 Calendar 2 * Entertainment 4 Television * 6 ‘amily-friendly cartoon not just for mad young . scientists oy Pe an Hn in to the Tumer cable networks this week. tend for the debut of “Dexter's Laboratory. fone of the most delightful new cartoon shows in years, “Dexter's Laboratory” is a bright, enter- taining cartoon that can be enjoyed by the entire family. The animation, while not © —roundbreaking, is refreshingly profes- sional, and the writing is a welcome change irom the "we're 90 clever" media-savwy tripe that plagues much of’ today’s cartoons, ‘Dexter's Laboratory” is good, clean fun, “The cartoon follows the adventures of a kid scientist, Dexter, who creates inyentionss 1 his huge’ bedroom laboratory, Thrown into the mix is his destructive older sister DeeDee, who usually wreaks havoc on Dex ler'y intricately planned experiments, This cartoon is uproariously funny. Dex ter (sporting a Peter Lorresike voice, cour ~ tesy of Christine Cavanaugh, whe also put i Fi the words to the mouth of “Babe.” the “Dexter's Laboratory,” which debuts this Saturday and Sunday, talking Oscar contender inadvertenly caus could inspire the next generation of mad scientists. es mayhem due ro the mundless machine : : tions of his older sister, DeeDee. troy” ig. tonguen-cheek tribute to the lale ter his stint at Cal Arts, T Ay young Ke wn as seed atthe EK Kn i man wes entra PP as broke into the ai hands Of an older sibling i sure 10 appre iar belief. singlehandedly create musiness, working on “Balman, Gate the comic fastraton of boy genius, mo of Manel Comes fat “The Chit" and “Tiny Toons” In sm» Dexter: who can build a gigantic Ruclear Spon. 1993, “he joined Hanna-Barbera 10 industrial complex and conceal that com ee work on the underrated and sadly 2x from his parents, but-cant keep his ter” is the first series to be ovetiooked "2 Stupid Dogs,” and it sister from “pushing all the prey bat -$P¥P off from the Cartoon Net work's innovative World. Premiere ats Chere that he developed the ; ‘Toons program, “Changes” the syle which he employs on "Dexter's ‘Most episodes endl with some major Tens prog 3 which h calamity left unresolved. Depending on the short cartoon, which was the basis Laboratory’ Greumstanees, Dexter could he transformed __‘9F this series. was nominated for an Alter production ceased on “2 © into an animal or an elderly yent. or wipe Emmy last year Stupid Dogs,” Tartakvsly signed ‘ut hal the eity in his giant robot Sut. This Dexter” is the ereation of Gen: on to create “Dexter's Laboratory ortoon is sure to inspire the next genera- dy. Tartakovsky, native of 8 pan of the Wanid Premiere Toons sion of mad scientists Moscow whose family moved to program for Hanna-Barbera and ithe only star of'Dexter" The Chicago when he was 7 years old the Cartoon Network, middle segment of the hal-hour show is While. studying” animation at Cal “Dial MFor Monkey.” the adventures of Arts, Tartakovsky wrote. directed @ Dexter's pet monkey. who, unbeknownst to and produced two animated shorts bis master is a work-famous superhero, ‘one of which was an embryonic ver graphically stunning cartoon, “Mon sion of "Dexter's LaboratoryTHE CHARLESTON GAZETTE APRIL 25, 1996 “Dexter” was chosen to launch the World Premiere Toons series in Reba lee Taone series in reviews. from ‘Cartoon. Network's viewers and veteran animators like John Kricfalusi. LastTHE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER APRIL 25, 1996 ‘Dexter’s Laboratory’ By Miles Beller From small toons, big cartoons A casein point Is the wry and wily “Dexter's Laboratory."a kicky new animated series witha retr- ‘SOs by-way-ofdisco is having a fullscale debut. In fact, “Dexter” is the first of the World Premiere Toons to be expanded ‘into a regular weekly program. In addition to airing on TNT, “Dexter,” which registered as the higheatrated short to debut on Cartoon Network's World Pre- —tniere Toons, will also been seen ‘on the TBS Superstation and the Cartoon Network. Created by 25- year-old Genndy Tartakovsky (‘2 Stupid Dogs,” “The Critic.” “Tiny Toons,” “Batman, the Animated Series"), this fresh show examines the life of Dexter, a young genius with a funny accent who whips up some unusual circumstances in his enormous bedroom/laboratory. For instance, in one adventure Dexter opens a dimensional time hole and contends with a ravenous, slobbering monster he has broughtinto our space. Now it's up to Dex’s sister to make sure the ogre doesn't destroy her sib and maybe the rest of the planet. In addition to “Dexter's” antics, viewers will also see spinoff, “Dial M for Monkey.” This one also was ‘conceived Py tartakorsly. here in league with” Crai racken mi Gis) and Pat (The Powe: Rudish (“Super Secret Squirrel’). ‘What is rendered in this simi- lar styled animation is a turbo- charged, crime-fighting little chimp who wants to save the world, this when Dexter is other- wise engaged A better safer, saner world through science? Not as dreamed up by the Sve Dexter's Labors: tory,” a sly, postmodern romp through the detritus of cartoon- dom that turns the antics of a kid inventor into a broadcast that has the torque of a neutronpowered skateboard = DERE DRSRATORT tants canoe See in coe ‘ron arakonky Exe pdt ary Haber enna ce “bey nan Preach opened Pataca eos... aren Cone Dieses reeeen eae) Trt rae hb Ren Pl Roh Abate: (ORT Saturn, Aol 27,230, ‘po (85) Sumany, Apel 28,6307 am: {Sete te Sky At 38 204,WICHITA EAGLE wrcHTTA, KS sunpay 190,671 APR 26 1996 WICHITA EAGLE APRIL 28, 1996 CREATING A 25u @ Moscow-bom animator_Genndy ‘Tartakovsky lives the American Dream on the Cartoon Network with “Dexter’s Laboratory. t Dexter, a ‘oy-genius ent who Whip Up imetravel machines and intergalactic monsters in his bed room laboratory bat isn't allowed to stay up past 8 pm. to watch TV. The bone of Dexter's young ite Is his older sster DeeDee, ditzy ballet dance: vno i forever mis chievously meddling with his experiments Short, squat, meckanicaly mind: ed Dexter and tall, lithe and melodra matically minded DeeDee are total opposites. Tey also fare the stars of “Dexters abort the st breakotcar- BoB ‘toon from *Wor Tere Premiere Toons on CURTRIGHT ie tawon Netware That means the onetime exper- menial earioon has been elevated into a weekly halthour series because of sudience demand leaned from foces groups, phone Foils and an onine bet board ‘Adi il be shosm on three of Ted Turners cable stations fo rake sure everyone has @ chance to catch this clever, quirky car- {oon that could become a cul treat in the “Rocky and Bliwinile™ mold. Deniers Lataraions wil a on ‘TAs (Channel 9) at €40 am. Sundays starting today with a repeal at 405 pm. tne same day, on the Cartoon Network (Channel 58) al 590 pm. Sundays starting today with repeats at7 pam. Wednesdays and 720 am. Saturdays; and on TNT (Channel 16) at 5 pm. Saturdays. ‘Now meet Geant Tartakori, Dexter's creator and — if truth told — alter ego. “Actually” Tartakovsky admitted during a conversation in Los ‘Angeles, “I think 1 am a little bit of both Dexter and DeeDee.” ‘At 26, the Moscowbom “Tartakovsky is one of the youngest ‘animation directors in Hollywood, ‘and he considers himself a gen- line American success story. He snagged an Emniy nomina- tion for his first professional car- toon short Changes" shich Introduced the “Dexter's Laboratory” characters. Later in 1985, he won the Annie Award for the same cartoon. ‘And just last August, he was named one of Variety's “50 to ‘Waten as a future leader in the entertainment industry. ‘Not bad for a kid who grew up loving Soviet comic books (his favorite was about a hip, smoking ‘wolf and had no idea he could ‘make a living at it, much less a career with people lining up to praise him. “We have discovered a huge tal cent in Dexter's creator,” enthuses Fred Selbert, president of Hanna ‘where “Dexiers— Taporatory”is made. “Adds Betty Cohen, president of the Cartoon Network where Dexter airs “The development of ‘Dexter's Laboratory’ into a series "sa perfect example of how we're ‘making good on our original promise to develop the cartoon stars of tomorrow.” “Tartakovsky himself takes a more ‘Modest approsch. He says he was in the right place atthe right time. "He moved to the United States with his parents at age 7 and grew up in Chicago. “From the very beginning, from ‘what I can remember, I always liked comic books and cartoons ‘When I was in school, I drew a ttle bit here and there,” he said with a soft trace of a Russian accent. Hee was studying advertising art at Columbia College in Chicago when be decided to take an elective class {in animation. It was like a door opening, he said. “But it was the 1880s, and the (ant mation) market was pretty much dead. Nota lot of people were going into animation” ‘But he moved to Los Angeles any- ‘way to study animation at Cal Art, fortuitously just as “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” and “An American ‘Tal signaled the rebirth ofthe ani- mation industry. He was selected as one of the animators to go to Spain {o bring the new TV “Batman” to le. “and when I came back, it was all in full bloom.” “He found work on such shows as ‘2Stunid Dogs." “The Critic” and Steven Spielberg's “Tiny Toons" in ‘various capacities from layouts to storyboards to directing, before get- ting his big break with “Dexter's Laboratory. “The whole concept came from just an animation exercise that | wanted to do in school with two dif- ferent characters. They just kind of started to grow and escalate. And then this came out of it.” Genndy Tartakovsky“Usually, as far as pitching a car- toon and making your own idea for television, fs almost imposible,” Been toa WICHITA EAGLE *You have to go through writers, APRIL 28, 1996 through executives, through story people, through everything so that “The whole concept came from ‘by the time your original concept just an animation exercise that I comes to the seree, isnot your, ‘wanted to doin school wath two dif. concept a al. ts someting ferent characters” Tartakovsky said it “World Premiere Toons” “They just kindof Hard to grow imental showease on the peat en his come Garton Network, et him do his own eee Baers Lnraon? emi ob Curtighve media cohen ‘cent of ‘brightly colored, no-frills appears Sundays, Mondays, Style made famous in the 1850s bY Wecnesdays and Saturday. He can be the UPA Studios and later by Hanna. reached at 268-6394, Barbera, "When Hanna-Barbera developed weevson ann, they developed 1PStnp io ake a ast produe tT tin But is sje more tppeaing fo me han angi ee. be uey by hang wat oi lar to what works well on television.” peat Cham the way ad arm he teat ake on universal hood experiences are what will draw adult audiences as well as children. ‘Siblings Dexter and DeeDee are natural antagonists, but there is a ‘sweeiness (0 their conflict rather lan the meanspiritedness found in the "Beavis and Butthead’ or “Ren & Stimpy" schoo! of cartoons. ‘They also are a throwback to the Knjoositesi “Rocky and Bullwinkle” siliness, but sic a ‘with clever, more complex plots. Moscow-born Genndy Tartakovsky, left, turns his fantasies into a cartoon that has 11 one of the fist ones that I pre- a viewed. Tartakovsky does a cartoon been greenlighted to go from experiment version ofthe famous science fiction to weekly series on cable's Cartoon tale, "120)” about @ man doomed to Network. relive the Same hour over and over. Here, Dexter invents a space gale- ‘way that allows a slimy monster to center his bedroom and eat him. He ‘writes a warning note to himself, hands it to his ditzy sister and shoves her into his time-travel cap- sale to send her back in time to ‘warn him not to open the gate. ‘When Future DeeDee arrives, Dexter doesn't pay attention to her, ‘and the monster arrives on schedule to eat him again — and again. In another adventure, Dexter rebels al doing housework while his mother is under the weather and invents a Momdroid to do his bi: ding for him, leading to “Maternal Kombat"RIO TESOIET SOOT, 11 ‘soasoq ‘sets sty Suse hod ‘smmad-oq Spy JB Yoo] & S1 MOjSR, 9661 ‘8Z TdV aTOVd VLIIHOIMKIDSCREEN MAY 1996 production, distribution & programming ee er uten &progromming, “In 1979, started as an intern on Thats Incredible! by The Landsberg Co. in Los Angeles. = + Served asa story researcher, then a segment praducer on That's Incredible! from 1980 to 1982, * For the next three years, worked as a segment producer and story editor for several magazine-for ‘mat shows, including Lifestyle Magazine. Earned a BA in radia, television and film from California, State University in Northridge in 1984, + ln 1986, made a bref leap into animation as a production assistant at Marvel Productions of New York, * Later that year, joined DIC Enterprises of Burbank, California, as an associate produce. Promoted to Production supervisor in 1990. In 1993, became vice president of animation production. In this position, ‘oversaw domestic and overseas production on more than 600 half-hous of TV programs for newwork and. syndication, including Where on Earth is Carmen San Diego? and The New Adventures of Madeline. + Joined the Los Angeles office of Hanna Barbera Cartoons as vice president, production. Supervises all current TV and video production for Hanna-Barbera, including World Premiere Toons, Cave Kids and The Real ‘Adventures of Jonny Quest. Report to Sherry Gunther, senior vice president, production. Will dist as “Hanna Garbere launches The Jetsons aa prime-time series and two new series based on seven ‘minute short cartoons that pleted on World Premiere Toons in 1996 “My goal here is really to attract and retain the best creative talent in the business.” BRIAN MILLER "ice resaent. Foaucton |SATILLITE TV & VIDEO ° MAY 1996 Toons ajpomaty sre: sh stud za on maciju (pasle suds DISNEY, tije ertece ug levnom emituje kanal. Te ‘Tumera CARTOON NETWORK, trenutno radi ns nekeliko now ° ‘animiranih TV seria, Popular baths ena DEXTERS LABORA TOY (nominovan ove godine ze iadu EMMY) preratee w TV seriu koja ée imati 16 polutasowaihepttode. Te je pre Serija batirana na jednom o¢ krathih crtace koje je prasie ° sezone ematovao kanal CARTOON RETWORK u okwru eiklusa THE WORLD PREMIERE TOONS, enja 0 decane Dever Kay ke Bromalaske Ws save act . ‘Amen! | Evo, preko kenale CARTOON NETWORKELIZABETHTON STAR FRIDAY MAY 3 1996 BURRELLE'S 5p aT From small toons, big cattwons grow. A case in point is the wry and wily ‘Dexter's Laboratory,” a kicky new ani- ‘mated series with a relro-60s-by-way-of- disco "70s look that is having a full-scale debut In fact, “Dexter” isthe fiat ofthe i to be expanded into a regular weekly program. In addition to airing on TNT, ‘Doxter," which registered as the high: Cable stations [aun ELIZABETHTON STAR (TN) MAY 3, est-rated short to debut on Network's World Premiere Toons will also been seen on the TBS Superstation and the Cartoon Network. Created by 26-year-old Gennady Tartakovsky ("2 Stupid Dogs,” “The Critic,” “Tiny Toons,” “Batman, the Animated Series”), fresh show examines the life of Dexter, a young geniua with 2 funny accent who whips up some unusual cir joon ch new animated show t 1996 his cumstances in enormous ers will also:see a spinoff, “Dial M for. bedroomlaboratory. Monkey? This one also was conceived by For instance, in one adventure Dexter _‘Tartakovsky, here in league with Craig opens a dimensional time hole'ahd con- McCracken (“The Pawerpuff Girls") and tends with a ravenous, slobbering mon- “Paul Rudish CSuper Secrat Squirrel"). ster he has brought into our space. Now “And what is rendered in this similar it's up to Dex’s sister to make sure the styled ani turbo-charged, ‘ogre doesn't destroy her sib and maybe crime-fighting little chimp who wanta to the rest of the planet. save the world, this when Dexter is oth- In addition to “Dexter's” antics, view- erwise engaged. / abe" aes ‘ « « e eAUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN MAY 12, 1996 AAY 1 2 1995 AMEPICAN-STATESMAN * 1B Nomis Cavazos etaeeteoretent * ‘would Like to know more about “Dey |-1er# Laboratory" and its creator, ex -ndy,Tartakovsky om the Cartoon Ne Al "Dester’s Laboratory.” the first breab ‘aut hit ofthe Cartoon Network hasbeen; Providee by Christine Cavanaugh, horneo wet the voice of “Babe.” Bae” Eouoces of Dial M es ‘ere: The Dats ome | (eree, .0, Hox 655237, Dati, texas ISS,TELEGRAPH ALTON, aL DATLY & SUNDAY. 34,708 Tespay MAY 14 1996 TELEGRAPH MAY 14, 1996 Cartoon gurus still making oxy By SHIRLEY LEE When one says “family entertainment” fo Jo: = co-founder, along | with William Hanna of anna-Barbera Cartoons Ine, orto the company’s President, Fred Seibert, It Tings a beil in more ways than ‘one. Notonly do they believe their aim is to provide wholesome enjoyment forall family members, but families are often the very subject of their animated features, Barbera tells ofa husband ‘and wife psychiatrist team who once interviewed him regarding the Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy cartoons. “They said, ‘You have the only animated show featuring 8 father and son living together, and you do it so well ‘They have respect for each other. ‘Itnever really came up that we were preaching good family relationships. It just played out that way,” he continues, ver the years had a warm feeling to them. Even when Tom was chasing Jerry, at certain times, you realized they were rally friends. When Fred Flintstone did something that ‘wasn't familylike, he would apologize to Wilma.” Fred Seibert defines his ‘Gun feelings about the Heeee-Barh-— shor" * « ‘think that Hanna-Barbera Tepresents a sort of regular person look onlife - the great broad scope of working people, trying to raise their families, provide shelter and have their children do better than they did.’ ~Fiad Seibert, Company president think th : represents a sort of regular person look on life ~ the great broad scope of working people, trying to raise their families, provide shelter and have their children do better than they did.” ‘The company's secret to appealing to all ages, he says, “may lie in the fact that we encourage our creative people todo things that keep them entertained as well as keeping an eye onthe child. That way you have shows find eondeseend them laugh adults can relate to.” Never static in its outlook, the 39-year-old company, acquired by Turner Broadcasting System Inc. in 1991, has many new projects ‘Anew preschool series is an extension of The Flintstones that focuses on Pebbles and Bam Bam as babies, with each show resenting a moral theme. In Dexter's Laboratory, aboy named Dexter, a brilliant genius scientist, and his older ter, DeeDee, share adventures stemming from his unusual experiments. This series came out ofthe company’s We Toons project, a series of 45 Tew seven-minute cartoon shorts that debuted on the Cartoon Network. Now in their 80s, the company’s co-founders still come to work every day. Both are involved in the individual direction of some of the new cartoons,Cartoons Inc.ADVERTISING AGE MAY 20, 1996 “tetheny tat the higher you aim, the fewer viewers you reach just doesn’t hold Brooke Bailey lohnson, Senior VP-programming and production, A&E Network KIDS A seat networts rar to morse: cific demographics, younger viewers are receiving increased attention from market leaders Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network and programmers new to the niche such as Court TV, ‘Asa niche, children can appear to be manna from heaven to cable networks. They comprise a group of some 30 million consumers who spend bil- ons of dollars annually, and they love TV. But they are also a notoriously fickle and demanding group that is quick to condemn TV shows to obscurity Nickelodeon, which now captures about 504% of the children’s ross ratings points on TY, wil continue 1s block programming trend this fall with 2 hmeup that adds the 8-8:30 pm, slat to prime time. Dubbed Kids First Family Friendly, the half hour slot wil play host to two new shows alorg uith new episodes af the popular Seeret World of Alex Mack. The new shows are Hey Arnold, about 2 kid who lives in the city airing on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Kablam, a show that will use numerous types of animation to follow the story of thio kids who live in @ comic book, It will ur Fridays while Alex Rack will ai ‘Mondays and Wetinesdays. Ted Turner's three-year-old Cartoon Network has tripled its subscribers to 25 nillion, in part by following Nicks exam= Ae of developing 2 clear iaentty through ‘original programming. Last year. the chan nel begar airing World Premier Toons, 48 loniginal shorts that serve as pilots far new “The goal was to introduce new charac- ters to kids at a rate faster than any other time in history? said Mike Lazzo, senior \VP-programming and production. Cnne of those seven-minute pilots ~ 1's Laboratory — began 3 new ife as half-hour series last manth (April. H cer ters around a boy genius creating inventions in his bedioom-lab and follows Cartoon’s goal of offer Cartoon Netw’ ike Lazo cites the eaaconana san ofthe nem ing more than simply animated humor or action. “We also fee! it’s part of our responsibilty to offer programs with an ‘educational slant" Lazzo sti. Last year, Cartoon Network asked Children’s TV Workshop — inventors of Sesame Street — to create a one-hour pro- {gram for preschoolers. Big Bag will pre rier weekly next month (June) with five studio hosts and new Jim Henson-create ‘muppets ‘Sesame taught numbers and letters Lazzo sie, “Big Bag is creativity and teacn- {ng kids to se it im an entertaining fashion” ‘A successful departure from the generic cartoon was this year's introduction of Space Ghost, TV only late-night talk show hosted by 2 cartoon superhero Backed by Hanna-Barbera’ libraty of 3,500 half-hour cartoons, Cartoon Network has access to a wealth of resources, Laz20 sai. In August, 65 new episodes of the 1960s Johnny Quest series will kick off Here was an older show with not that many episodes that stil remains enor- mously popular. Lazzo said, "So we did an Updated version with an older, more con- temporary Johnny: WGN-TV, the Chicago-based superstae tion, also has successfully attracted kids with WBS classic cartoons. Station manag- cer Jim Zerwekh said this fall WGN wil air Aan hour daly ol WB cartoons, and four hours on Sunday morning,ADVERTISING AGE MAY 20, 1996 A countdown of stylized numbers kicks off the toon Network's new: Cartoon! Show." Design: director David Hwang of Two Headed Monster. Los Ange les. created each digit in the style ofa famous illus trator oF cartoon artist. No. 6 takes its inspiration from illustrator Ralph SteadmanDAILY VARIETY MAY 23, 1996 EXEG SHUFFLE ‘Adam Shapiro hasbeen named VP, development, at Hanna-Barbera Inc. Hejoinsthe ‘company after eight years in developmentat Kushner-Locke, replacing Jeff Holder, who left ‘the company last year. Shapiro's development dutiesat Hanna-Barbera include the World Premiere Toons” project Torthe Turer-owned Cartoon ‘Network, "Jetsons primetime series slated for 1997 andthe creation of aslate of made-for-TV movies.sujeydxe onBonigoW esinoy “yoys peyeujue oy) = skep ny-oud uy poroouold weyshs oy 0} Youd yUOM yf YUOIED WoReUTUE mou 10} BUP{oo] JEM YOMIEN UOOTIED OY. LOU i Jets oot aNALAVIN +] VNOLLVNUAINI SSANISAG NOTSIAT TAL "95oon talent (let to right) John Ditwor Courage he cowardly dog, Bruno BozetO™ sof, Piza Boy the network ~ includes a library of shorts, it has worked to schedule an hour or rwo at a time of classic shor. “ve can make a big deal out of shorts the way MTV does with ity world pre- ‘miet video.” said Cohen Shorts would also offer a format 10 bring in new animators from internation- al territories where Cartoon Network operates A roadshow throughout Europe. and publicity in the U.S. and Asia, explained to the animation world ‘what The Cartoon Network wanted. ‘What A Gartoon accepted pitches from animators only ia the form of story= hoards which showed the character that was to be developed. The cartoons were Seven minutes long, story-driven, and. no Iitches trom Hollywood agents or seript- lone submissions were accepted. “The results were good. A total of 45 seven-minute films were commissioned. In producing these shorts Hanna arhert has reinvented @ past tradition Trim animation s heyday in the 1940s ind 180s, when «| directing una includ: fala director « wonter and anists focused Son the introduction of new characters.” Jeol Simmons, executive vice ‘president, Hanna Garbera — International explame For the What Gartwon projet we ure Using The Sine process that was used hy Warner Bros. MGM and ate many of the worlds greatest cartoon Superstars including, Tom & fer Hugs Manny and Daily Duck The shorts included a runge of newcomers and old hands sho fenve bit fo. news Set oF gaToun char deters soci te Jui B Dilwons Courage dios to ¢ the Cowardly Dog in Chicken From Ter space Danian Sia} OUT fromm foxeph Farber ano Sn Hea Fussy Lumions written by recent Cal Ants graduate, Coy Conen: tne network McCracken, ~The butch of shorts also offered a unique way for The Cartoon Network ‘nd Hanna Barbera to decide which haricters to take ino series. Running in the US. on Sunday nights from February 1995, What_A Caroon allowed feedback from the audience in 2 number of ys. Tollfree phone aumbers and an e-mail address allowed them to decide which ‘characters they liked best and which they Would Tike 10 see developed into longer Focus groups were also assembled by market researchers to see which charac {ers appealed to the public ‘Dexter s Laboratory emerged a> a clear winch, and Was developed into a series, Created by 26-year-old Russian- horn animator Genndy Tartakovsky Dexter's Ldbaratons Focuses 0% Dexter. 3 hoy genius who cre inventions in his bedroom ‘which ate often shor-circuted by his older siver Dee Dee The series staned with Two Dexter shorts created by ‘Monkey, @ spin-off from Dexter ‘Jemtiring Monkey. a super-pow- ered, crime-fighting chimp who lives ig the lab and sets out to save the world when Dexter ‘sn't looking ‘Tumer pushed the boat out co market the US. debut of Dexter's Laboratory Euch episode ared'sm Umes a week On Turner's three networks — Cartoon Network. TBS Superstation and TNT ~ POSED! Girls, when it dchuted april 28 ‘The hope is the series will create a fnew sensation, “Genngy and his produc: ‘ae bs ry a tion team have created a cartoon that gets laughs from every kid. broadcaster and licensee tho has seen a sneak pre- view of it” said Simmons. “Dexter and his sister Dee De® are the newest duo in the world of caroons.” Though Hanna Barbers_and Canon Network would nOr discuss the udgers of the What A Cartoon shorts. Cohen Suid: "Ie @ not cheap, This is certainly noe an inexpensive way of doing things When you do a 26-hour series vou have economies of scale that cannot he felt m 2 one-off show. ‘But the iavestment is worthwhile. “We feel we are mak: fing. an investment in finding charac ters and finding new shows which will be memo rable.” Shorts from outside America were thin on the ‘ground in the ini tial 45. One Simmons: the studio European short called Help? featuring a fat cat called Tot and bis adventures in hospital. was accepted, Bruno Borzeto, the cartoons Italian eréator, fas produced over 200 cartoons. Help? was not picked up for a series bul Bozzetto may develop another character for The Cartoon Network “The small showing of European pite: es was a concern ~ paniculary in light of the shonage of local content on the net Tartakovsky and Dial MM for, work's European service, "| would like 10 ee more European pitches and some animators have not submited ides ye said Cohen Sil finding classic characters able 10 merit thet shelf space in a library bic Hunna Rarbera's «8 a tll enough order. Generating new programs capable of creating synergies between the various Givisions of an international entertain ment company’s something ese Whether it's achieved Coben sind deserts onginal aim or not might only really be settled in 20 years time It his, wl hat bg HECOOPER POINT JoUHAL DUYNPTA, wa weeny THURSDAY, UH G 1996 y Today's cartoons are the best in history Aridicul boy Se and yan Fankenseuss Theiss Lok though setices in magacnes lke TV aided Enertsinnent Welly earearop oh omvesionsabat TV cartoons sod yout hear ot stthroreebout Saurdsymarningcin andy Ault The fone tah that those to Kinds abomination ae amos thing the pas, iste! Televison imgton ht nergone repaint sce theta. Sure theres hours ‘fonaashealy bore, omatchabl grape cme Sitwaves, But despite the enstence of such ierchansing dren propams as Cepy Cano fede te Shope cerca tying tobe pod now than ever ae Pei gly ewan heenGasof session animation, tot would ope ae om Aer ding tle To ad Ter eaeoo for dees, Wl fansa nde fod theses faced witha mw nedaoe anda ew challenge elev, They qu lamed thtsmalerbudgesanda seemingly ene ead or mateal defined ilevson and thy ecto their methods of snimation, When The Raa Reda Show premiered in 1338 1 gave Aeon audiencesalonkst wha would soon beled ited feigation” or at some have led “reve ecg wih moving as and legs). The soe ‘assur although primaries (Tos 4nd Jerry and ll theater clave cartoons were popular wih alan chien ate) Moelinited {ntaton shor followed ieducing such Hanna Burra starsat og Bear Hclebry loud Quek Seeasans phe Hain iond Gut ‘hese shows ae fanny and itligent: But tat | probably the intoxication ofnosalga talking. Anyone | aching them now al mot hy beens qc) Bored the repetitive tories and cof moto. ta set the standards: Poorly animate unfnny cvoons for hide Soon ‘eros Wr and ies her nan the a poring out wl al rough the ne aed shits eons hea sont una or sophisticated such 35 Rocky and Buln ori Clampets Bey and Cech bat oie parthings were ad Ine Sturdy morning became the ine for cartoons whenalthe major nenore ad f intellectually opposite laboratory mice who continually come up with crazy ways to take on the modern world, are in the same tradition ‘The network is also giving “Pinky” a uy as dart of is nightime schedule, hoping to score success with primetime animation where so ‘many others have failed “The network decided last February 10 ‘spand to Sunday nights and they really want- ‘eda family show to lead off the night and alot of people believe in this property,” says MacCurdy. “They think it could carry primetime slot. and Spielberg thought it had notential too, We have a strong belief in ani- ration as a primetime vehicle.” Even UPN is getting into the fray, curently offering a hour-long animated block on iunday mornings for affiliates. UPN Kids. as ‘is known, offers Saban Entertainment's “Space Swrikers.” featuring some CGI back- rounds, and “Teknoman.” about a futuristic {ero who hopes 10 save the earth from an evil warlord, the later most notable for its use of ‘he rather dark and dramatic anime syle, In September, UPN plans to double its ani- sation offerings to four hall-hours — with at 9.” which started out as part of Hanne-Barbora’s “Wor Shorts" program, has now gone to series. THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER ANIMATION SPECIAL ISSUE JANUARY 23, 1996 Premiere least thre new shows. “t's going to bea com bination of comedy, action-adventure and hor- ror.” says network children's programming chief Ellen Levy-Samoff. Ther's already lk of adding some weekday shows in °97 ‘Animation i definitely part ofthe UPN plan. says Levy-Samoff, who acknowledges that tis far, “ratings have been okay. They're not breakthrough. but they're not embarrassing either.” Some of the upcoming product will come from Saban as pan of ajoim production ‘enture the two entered into in early "95. “The shows we're puting on next year re the shows that strategically and creatively make the most sense, be they from Saban or from outside sup pliers. We're looking to create the strongest schedule for fll'96:" Even PBS is geting into the animation act apparently deciding that its Sunday moming success with “The Magic School Bus” from Scholastic Productions is something that can be Guplcated. That show-— which won a datim= Emmy for Lily Tomlin and drew raves from school and parent groups around the county tas also spawned a successful CD-ROM line Now in the midst ofits second run of 13, episodes, another 13 have already been order for next season when it wil be sipped PBS is planning a second animated seri “Arthur” based on Mare Brown's books abot an aardvark 10 debut inthe fall of °96 from Coninued on pare 0 Cool/Hot Continued from page $30 CCinar. In addition, PBS just added the pre-school series, “Katie and Orbie” to its Sunday morning line-up. From Lacewood Studios. the program explores the hard- ships of childhood. More impressively. PBS is also giving animation a shot in primetime with “Adventures from the Book of Virtues.” a 10-par primetime series from PorchLight ‘Entertainment in association with KCET that marks its first-ever ‘animated series entry into prime time, Inspired by the book by William J. Bennett, the show hopes to illustrate such universal vires as courage, discipline, responsibility friendship, ec. CABLE OPTIONS ‘Nickelodeon definitely leads the ‘way on this side of the TV dial convincing both children and par- cents that it has the right idea. The network divides its day to focus on different demographic groups, with Nick Jr's. all-cartoon roster in the daytime and the network's powerhouse early evening offers— topped by “Rugrats from Klasky Csupo and “Doug” from Jumbo Pictures Inc., 1wo shows generally considered the cream of the animation erop in terms of quality and ratings. ‘The network's Herb Scannell ‘executive vp, pulls no punches when he talks about animation “Lthink we have product better than network television,” he insists, noting the channel's view: ct loyalty to suppor that claim. We serve kid-dom, and not everyone does that." He thinks i's @ matter of hay- th something‘new and something filled with kid sensibilities, "We looked at Saturday morm- ing animation and thought it was all look-alike stuff, and a lot of that was because they were all ‘coming from the same animation factories.” he says. “There was a Jot of discounting of animation in terms of motion and creativity, ‘and we decided to break out of the industry standard by working with people who were closer to the creative process.” ‘They've done just that with their slate of Nicktoons, a block that includes “Doug” and Rugrats” as well as “The Ren & Stimpy Show” (from Games Productions, now Nick's in-house production arm). “Aaah! Real Monsters” and “Rocko's Modern Life.” (produced by Joe Murray Prods. with Games Animation). ids now live in a world of 30-plus channels. and they don't think of those big three or four being any bigger than Nickelodeon.” insists Scannell “In fact, Nick is the first choice place for kids because in their minds it’s all about them, and ‘our ratings reflect that.” Indeed. of the top 15 shows on cable, five are snimated series that air on Nick. The network is No, 2 fon Saturday momings in the 2- t0 1-yearold group. and Nicktoons isbig on Sunday momings. Afternoon shows like “The Busy World of Richard Searry’ and "Papa Beaver's Storytime, both from Cinar (the former in association with Paramount Pictures), and “Beetlejuice,” help All the schedule. and the network also airs Jim Henson's “Muppet Babies.” like many of its ear- toons. in two different slots. “Steven Spielberg Presents Tiny ‘Toon Adventures” airs in the late afternoon slot, as does weekend broadcasts of "Looney Tunes.” In addition, Nickelodeon is readving the launch of another new inhouse ‘toon,"Hey, Amold!,"the story of kid and his pal who use their imagination and resourceful- THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER ANIMATION SPECIAL ISSUE JANUARY 23, 1996 ness to triumph over urban obste- cles, for an early primetime slot. Gunthur-Wahl Productions Inc.’ ngry Beavers,” a chronicle of two beaver brothers trying to get by, is also readying. In 1992, the Cartoon Network centered the cable mix with its ‘ound the clock animation sched- tule, and three years later it seems to have found its niche, Though relying heavily on product from ~ the vast Hanna-Barbera library of titles (Which it shares with such other Turner owned outlets as cable's TNT and the TBS super- station, both of which program ‘animation for kids during daytime hhours), new prodvet is just around the comer. ‘They've found impressive viewership with those vintage car- toons, and in the past year have nearly doubled its subscriber base to nearly 23 million homes. It's estimated that viewers of the chan- nel rune in some 6.5 hours « week. “Kids are always fascinated by what is new, and pant of our plan is to introduce new program- ming.” says Cohen. “It needs 10 bee fresh with new characters — that's what kids like.” To that end, the channel launched World Premiere Toons last February, a show comprised of 48 seven-minute animated shorts created through Hanna. [Barbera for the Cartoon Network Cohen views it as a kind of pilot project in which new talent can ‘eta shot simply because invest- ‘ens are not so steep. ‘The Cartoon Network is also planning to add new “Jonny Quest” episodes 10 the rotation, ‘and they're working with the Child:en’s Television Workshop to come up with a new show for the pre-school set called “The Big Bag Show.” Coben thinks the ime is ight no longer just someshing You oon Sarurday mornings. Cancons really have come into ther own, Between the interest in special effects and graphics tha area part, of the entertainment industry, and the fact hat baby boomer parents have kids and want to shar pa of ther childhood with them, T think simation has taken hol" Theye not the only ones. USA Network has found success “Duckman, ther offbeat aul-rened projet from Klasky Csupo Inc. ‘At the same time, Comedy Central has been sticking with ‘Dr. Katz: Professional Ther ist,” a quirky computer-generat- 4 comedy about a psychiatrist so a marpaloe by jor sat everyone in his life. Produced by Popular Ans Entertainment and software producer Tom Snyder Productions, the show i in asso- ciation with HBO Downtown Produetions. Furthermore, USA Network has added “The Crt (@ show that aired fit on ABC and then Fox sation) 1 its ine {up hoping it will ring atention tits one-hour animation boc. MTV is sill going song with the infamous “Beavis and Butt ead" a rather enide and ide lok atthe pathetic if of two suburban metalheads, as well as “Acon Fux" a very splish and futuristic look at the life and exploits of a female supether. Both unofcial Iyeamy a PG-13 mating aim direct Iy at the MTV audience and ai in the liter evening hours. Both come from MTV Animation. Even the Sci-Fi Channel has ‘gotten into the act with “Ani= mation Station,” 2 two-hour ‘moming animation block tht airs classic animation from here and abroad, as well as "Saturday Anime — Japanese “Animated Feature Films.” featuring Japa- nese animation made in that dark, foreboding style. PREMIUM sa kinder, gentler word over at the Disney Channel, where pro- grammers continue 10 air the kind of kid-oriented product with ‘hich the animation pioneer has long been associated “We're much more concemed with story and style, the kind of classic and wational animation.” says Bruce Rider, senior vp of programming for the Disney Channel. “We have series, but we ‘so do a fair amount of animated specials, many with a literature base anda very rch story to them. We ae a family service. and we feel those kinds of programs are appreciated by families. That is an area that des very well for us” ‘The channel's moming anima- ton block is produced both in and ‘ut of house. though the majority are from the Disney animation su- dio itself. Shows like “The Lie Mera." “The New Adventures ‘of Wine the Pot.” “Ducktles.* “Chip ‘a’ Dale's Reseue Rangers” ‘Donald's Quack ‘well as “Mickey's Mouse Tracks’ all reflect the kind of tone with Which viewers are familiar. ”LABOR @EAT THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER ANIMATION SPECIAL ISSUE JANUARY 23, 1996 Working It Animators and writers enjoy bonuses BY ALAN WALDMAN espite the growing chorus of yips and yelps from ‘executives salaries and benefits in film and TV ani ‘mation continue upwards as competitive pressures increase the market value of writers and animators. Long-term personal contracts have become common and studios are now bidding for people and offering more favorable terms. Why? Because now there are three new teams on the court — Fox, Wamer Bros. and DreamWorks — bidding for free agents in a same that once only included Disney, and later Turner, “This isa new golden age of animation,” declares Steve Hulea, busi- ness representative of the Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists and ASfiliated Optical, Electronic and Grape Ans, Local $39 (MPSC), Far more feature animation is being created today than ever before, including Disney's “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” and “Hercules.” Wamer Feature Animation’s “The Quest,” DreamWorks’ “The Prince of Egypt,” Fox's “Anastasia” and Turner Feature Animation's “Cats Don't Dance.” MPSC membership has also increased from 700 in 1989 to 1,800 today and Hulet expects that figure w rise to an all-time high ‘of 2,000 in the next 18 months. ‘There are considerably more aitists, writers and animators in the ‘guild than existed in the "70s, when nearly half its members were ink and paint people. (Most ink and paint work is now done inexpensively ‘overseas, reducing membership in that category to 8%.) ‘The scale for animation artists rose slightly more than 3% on Nov. but the presence of five hungry studiow-churning up the waters where previously only two had swum has resulted in skyrocketing salaries for top-draw talent “Top animators and directors are earning $500,000 a year and anima (ors across the board are earning substantially higher wages. According to the MPSC, ar directors currently eam between $2.200 and $2,900 ‘each week, supervising animators eam $1,600 to $2,300 (25-68% over scale), Key-assistant animators bring in $1,500 to $2,200 (41-107% above scale) layout artists gross $1,500 to $2,000 (35-80% above). assistants garner $1,200 to $1,500 (up 31-59%) and ink and paint aris draw $1,200 to $1,500 (3-22% more) ‘Attomey Jon D. Cantor. of Cantor and Weinshenk, has negotiated 50- (60% pay raises for several clients in the animation field within the past 5 ‘months. “There is concer by some studios that salaries will get so high that they will nt be able to make animated films inthis country anymore Cantor admis. “Before the salaries staned to escalate, the cost of maki animated films was in the low thinies ($30-$35 milion), but now i's probe ably atleast in the low fories, and films like "The Hunchback of Notre Damme’ and ‘Prince of Egypt’ will surely cost more than $50 million Back when studios negotiated diretly with anist, the artists had no ef” rommition by the members of the Academy of Motion SS * ey hee Piccures Arts and Sciences for their exceptional work on Toy 5 Story. The film was nominated for best screenplay writen for ‘Space by Joho R. Dilworth. copyright 1995 Hanna-Barbera Jnc OUR SCREENING OF THE 27TH ANNUAL ASIFA-EAST ANIMATION FESTIVAL WILL FEATURE JOHN R. DILWORTH'S OSCAR NOMINATED "THE CHICKEN FROM OUTER SPACE," A WORK MADE FOR PBS' "AMERICAN PLAYHOUSE," AN EYEFUL FROM BILL PLYMPTON AND MUCH MORE, yogram includes work by many well known animators from the East Coast including Paul and Sandra Fierlinger. Mo Willems, Candy Kugel, John Dilworth, Bill Plympton Virginia Wilkos (Weston Woods), John Scluall, JJ Sedelmaier Productions. Eric Fogel and Emily Hubley. Amoue the untamiliar names are Mary Kocol. Polestar Films. Jane Gussin, and 4 students (Aaron Augenblick, Zachary Leman. Carmen Cottin, Michael Dougherty and Pail Lord) Director/animator Paul Fierlinger is represented in the show by ¢wo shor: works and a clip trom his outstanding “Drawn From Memory.” an hour long provram made for the PBS series American Playhouse. Sedelmaier has 3 works in the show including “Mr. Burts Goes to Washingiou” an anti- smoking PSA that stars Mr. Buus from the Doonesbury omiestnp. Bill Plympion's How ro Make Love to w Woman 1s said 10 be outrageous, FOR THE FIRST TIME THE ANNUAL SCREENING OF THE ASIFA-EAST COMPETITION WINNERS WILL BE SHOWN AT TWO LOCATIONS IN THE BAY AREA It will be shown on Friday. March 15 at 7:30pm. athe Exploratorium and on Saturday. March 16 at 7:30pm, jeve's Advan chino © a Cupemting. The De Anza campus is located near the junctions of 280, Highway 85 and Stevens Creek Blvd. Special thanks to Kim Tempest for arranging the De Anza screening. the screen, for best original musical score and for best original song. The screenplay nomination goes to John Lasseter, Peter Docter, Andrew Stanton and Joe Ranft. The music nominations go to Randy Newman. Director Jon Lasseter will also be given an honorary Oscar for his special achievement. None of the Oscar nominations for best animated shore went to local productions. The $ nominated films are Jolin Dilworth's Te Chicken From Outer Space (NYC). Nick Park's A Close Shave (stars Wallace and Grommet. England), Chris Laudreth’s The End (Alias and Wavefront software. Torouto). Disney's Runaway Brain (Mickey Mouse) and Gargarin (cel animation by Alexij Khricidi, Russia) Gargarin and A Close Shave will be shown in the hnew Spike and Mike Festival of Animation. The show has not been completely booked yer so additional nominated shorts may be added. The program will have its world premiere in SF in April. The SF Film Festival is also planning to show A Close Shave (late April/May). Chuck Jones. who was witn Warmer Brothers from the 1930's cll the mid-60's. is scheduled to get an honorary Oscar -@ lifetime actievement award. Kirk Douglas will get a similar awacd, Not everybody is drilled with the nominations this year. The miemibers of the Academy have yet to pick an animated feature fora best film nomination, nor have they ever nominated an animation director forthe best director ‘award. Some people liad hoped ths tradition would change. Critics of the acaderay awards are also disappointed that che academy only nominated two films for special effects this year. There were better etfects done in 1995 by other companies, but they appeared in films not popular withthe voring members so.. Which toon will win wie award? Having asked several people who have seem the nominated animated shors it seems a toss-up between Chicken From Outer Space and Gargarin. People who saw The End at SIGGRAPH '95 don't remember it. One person said it wasn't one of the best works shown. Several people said they don’t think Academy menibers will vore for a Disney sort. They described the film as being “short on Mickey's personality and rich in Disney techinique.” Everybody really likes the Nick Park film, but they also say it is "more of the same.” The film doesn’t offer any major surprises other than Wallace has a romantic interest. Since Nick Park has already won two Oscars. they expect the award to go elsewhere.ASIFA-SAN FRANCISCO NEWSLETTER —— > Joxa oucir's re ou ay = AN INTERVIEW WITH JOHN R. DILWORTH, CREATOR OF DIRDY BIRDY AND THE OSCAR NOMINATED THE CHICKEN FROM OUTER SPACE by Karl Coben Last month ASIFA-East and the Cartoon Network held apary in New York City 1 honor John R. Dilworth for creating a highly sucessful shor. Tie Chicken Erom Outer ‘Space. People who avended the event say he was a bt Surprised by ll che atenion focused on him. He says he had “no idea it would please people this much.” One person delighted with Dilworth is Fred Seiber. President of Hanna-Barbera, Ine, He wold us. "We ae proud 10 be associated with flmmaker Joho R. Dilworwh and the ominaion tor The Chisken From Outer Space, The marriage ofa great American iadependent director anda great American canton studio hs resulted in a world class quality fi. Dilworth is not only thrilled to get an Oscar ‘nomination. be is also proud to have won a first prize in a festival ac the Brooklya Museum (BACA), Prize wiuners are uc iu a (ouring program that gets shown at two institutions shat he has admired for years - The Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of An, He never ever expected to have his work shown there, He says “having my ‘ork serecued in museums gives me great pleasure.” (The Dura Birds was shown at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.) John R Dilworth has come a long way since he aduated trom tie School of Visual Ants in New York City 1985. Hs bau completed Pierre, his student film. and had 44 teal love for animation. but he says not mucl ‘vas llappentog 19 animation in 1985 in NYC so be took a job auserusing, The ob wasn’t what he wanted to do so in +98" is yorned The Cuelsea Animation Company. an ink and 'mpauy run by Jaget Scagnelli. That led him 4 ‘ork a9 an assistant 10 Jolin Gaug, one of the first {Y ammation directors to pass away from AIDS, One ot his frst big breaks came witew Michael “pom hired tum w work as an animator on Lyle Lyle rocadile, He says 1987 t0 1990 were formiative years for him 4s he was constantly leaming more about animation as hhe weor from one freelance job to the next. He poured the ‘oney he made into lus independent shor, The Limited Bird, 989, 17 minutesisileat His next big break came when Linda Simeusky ‘ggested be direct a pilot tor Nickelodeon. The network was © ing into their second season of production and they were experimenting with lows of ideas. He efided up adopting “omebody else's comic art into Psyched for Snuppa, 1992. « directed the work at Jumbo Pictures. He says “adapations are emensely difficult.” Dilworth's drive to produce independent shorts ® sulted in When Lilly Laney Moved In. 1991. His next big MARCH 1996 break resulted from this short being shown at Annecy. He tuet MTV's Prudence Fenton atthe festival and she eventually hired him to do a project for Liquid TV. The resulting film was Smart Talk with Raisin. The short was included in the home video The Best of Liquid Teletsion. About the same time le wrote and directed the piloc for Angry Cabaret for MTV. The story is about ? kids who (own an underground club. He looks back at this projec: and says he is glad it didn’t go to series as “it didn’t contribute anything to the medium.” MTV's in-house animation company gave him several other projects. One that he is proud of is his doing conceprual storyboards for a "Beavis and Butt-Head music video fearuring Cher & the ewo boys. It won aa platinum record. His award hangs prominently in his sudo. {In 1992 be founded Stretch Films, Inc. and began 10 do TV commercials and other projects out ofthis studio. One client was Jumbo Pictures. He designed two puzzles and two food trays for them that fearure images of Doug, the star of a series Jumbo was producing for Nickelodeon. He also did design work and storyboards for all four seasons of Doug. In 1994 he completed The Dirdy Birdy, a film that ‘has was shown in more chan 40 international festival. ‘oured with Spike and Mike's Festival of Animation and it as also in their Sick and Twisted shows. Ie was also shown during the 1995 Lollapalooza tour. before the feanure Crumb in Montreal, and in theaters in Europe. When it premiered at the Ottawa Animation Festival the Cartoon Network took notice of Dilworth's talents. He has since done logos and station ID's for them. Dilworth says he has never had to put together a show reel of his work. The Chicken trom Outer Space, 1995. was his next independent project. When Dilworth showed Hanma-Barbera his storyboards for the film. with ube bopes of getting some funds from dhem. the company executives offered to back the entire project. He says “they loved it!” They offered to put it in the World Premiere Shorts campaign, Wheu asked what it was like to work with Hanna Barbera lie said he was quite happy about the experience “They suegested subtle changes inthe project that improved it. In the original script the farmer pulled out a shotgun and fired it at the dog. That wasn't fuany and H-B thought it was {00 violent. They asked him to come up with another action He decided to have the farmer pull out an enormous mask (from nowhere) and scare the dog. This change resulted in the scene becoming the biggest laugh in the film. He adds stat Ellen Cockrill of H-B did a great job helping him with the project. ‘At present Jon R. Dilworth is developing ideas for his next project. It could be a series and it may star Courage ~The Cowauily Dag. the dog from The Chiaken From Outer, Space. He likes the dog as he overcomes is phobias To tie” film, He goes from being a coward that is scared of everything to a hero that solves a dilemma. This could be the basis of a solid character in a series. Whatever Dilworth does he doesn’t want it to be just another mindless series. He wants to do claracters that have depth and personality So congratulations 10 Job R. Dilworth and bis staff for their latest success and best for a great furureby Cyndes iatfier ® Senior staff writor Positioning iself ar the place where Seen ete oa Gear w ar poplin 3 Bumps tng a MARKETING NEWS MARCH 11, 1996 Cartoon Network on a ‘Quest’ to strength brand image ner pate seep ie rerenroea ane seisebo nearer Seay egpnantemeen coer nets a pine (act Sa ate Sores from de GieerSevetew Revo tricnasty Sag We 2c © pwone, Bur now. i rays. Thus is 2 Seen Cae ee pon ecaanese Er eae potimsnsesne » Satine Hee Oe eee socteeohants fone Te parrot Feet fen Nd ald's Happy Meals T-abure sald at op meee trier ae “how uswaneaeesoe mere a ane ee an See cece crear boar pron Baa be to ri peies Usiciemeee Soamnnoee hs ant ‘Bor MeAnch mid th news Aaicacon wo croons em i epar Tom he pack “Our ithe, our ook, ‘uF ngs al emoons all ne ‘ute ana pace to deren see hei, noun eat Nik- Toatenwnthes se reo lacks Evite dung stmt ‘Ceenng tara whose crt foros gon net bv Se iv momang fx the nerd e~ reassure of eaoon 3 mop ‘Sar promooces Sone upins por stp oso enero rear ‘Benard ena mth owes When ey pate canned on vee" Mednan nid “tay know 15 he Caron Neon and hope fulvthevt pouch ™ ‘res brand welfas heir ru (Network. Ths where dey ine” hot pacsonng enfrsd wih en-atpromosont ream up tat 2 croon chance otal “Top Ca magne aoperrtobepckng vp the phone to eat wh Sour een” Ueto eo regrng ve he Hanna-Barbera iran, Conaon Net ‘rks foeng now Glen avouph 4 "World Premiere Toang "week Ie snes feasag the sn nat shor, Now te ncovortsal hooing sft brats san ‘ers Laboratory" wh fllows the” “Wkettares of boy pens whe ce ocw all sors of rote ures bs bedroonvscner ab, Busca on ‘reduc from fous group, BOD. hone lines the nereorts Ameen Online bulla tour. und conser promocons, the shor wil be expand fino pew hall-how episodes Series deb wil be marked th 8 maior marseane pus. but MeAash ‘woul dvuige des onk sane seul be “preny en” Wheres is promoters or he censed produc, whl the nenwork Camoon Nenwors i asaated se ‘sto Rts brand personau. "We Celebrate the naievngs and revels the absurd. ad ther would have to be pat of hut" he ic, ‘When came ame ro promore “Soace Prom Cnet Coase “hich ees wi eu ager ‘Sr ato an vero up a Rip ae ‘ign show heat the network lew ic had w go for“ promotional cuter that's ws quirky to brave se the show's tens,” Mea sad, So the inergalacac cartoon churscer ‘shia the planeanams wrth “Dark Side of the Ghore Panes Ex- ‘ewvapunts " Conponsored by Geffon Records loa alternasre radio na Bons, and Tower Records, te snow features ser combined ith 3D ‘eznoiogy ips from the show, and en its ‘ae videos presided over ba ‘pant video nage of Space Goat spar be re soxepy the nerwork wl once head poolside ts sommes orig ‘De-In Theaters promooon, Wi the deck done up in» bamboo mod! and thetergocrs reson inner- tubes to lounge in, they can ck back snd wacch he toont a: cottomed Fepresencsoves ol var charseters crise around ‘erty rele compilation of Sr ‘Bon theme songs as nerpeted by sarnaave rockin, The propans An Animation Revival Cartoon to debut Dexter's Laboratory’ as series in April; ratings roundup » By Witt WoRKMAN question The Turner Broadcasting System Inc, network, along with Hanna-Barbera Cartoons. about a year ago unveiled World Premiere Toons — a venue for sev sn-minute cartoon shorts that de- aut on a Sunday night then go through a week-long rotation in which they air another dozen "We were looking at getting something new on the air at the time,” says Betty Cohen, the Cartoon Network's president. “Hanna-Barbera at he same time wanted to rejuvenate fis Vat Now, Cohen and Hanna-Barbera think they have their first "breakout" “tar, Dester’s Laboratory. which was ken! trom a short created by 26year vid Genndy Tartakovsky. The short hominated for a 1995 Emmy Award will he expanded into a half-hour series on Ul three Turner Entertainment net- @ vorks — Cartoon Network, TBS SuperStation and TNT — beginning in "ate April ‘The Warld Leemiere Toons develop: nent process revived a tradition from animation’s golden days at Warner Rros. and other studios that focused n introducing new characters one at a ime and not pressuring animators with the burden of creating an entire series. according to Cartoon Network With animation in high demand, it's the kind of venue — free from big'stu- ‘fio control and conventions, as well as, by market pressures — that anima: tors will find too tempting to resi says Fred Seibert, Hanna-Barbera’ president. “What it really is. isthe first pilot sys- tem of its kind in the business,” he says. “Every one of our shorts sees air time and gets exposed to the public at large. Cartoon Network is the only network where cartoons can run (standalone) and not [as] part of a series.” ‘That farm system has been combined with an elaborate feedback loop that in cludes toll-free phone lines, Cartoon Network's America Online bulletin board, focus groups and the network's consumer promotions “It-was always with the view that we would use ... every possible means of feedback to determine the stars ofthe fu ture,” Cohen says. As the Cartoon Network's subscriber base hits mid-range — it passed the 25- million-home mark in March — Cohen says operators will begin to look more and more at the network to deliver rat ings. Indeed, World Premiere Toons de- buted with a 3.5 rating in its universe Tast Year and has since maintained close to a 30, according to network executives Cohen, who says it's difficult to make ratings projections for Dexter's Laboraton, says two other shorts soon should be ready for expansion into hall hour series: one for January 1997, the other for mid 1997, Sill, they'l have a long way to go to reach the Rugrats ratings plateau, That tale of diaper ea: Pers regularly pulls in almost one-half of the top-rated cable shows each week, Dexter's Laboratory, which will be e> to a half-hour series on Cartoon Network, TB: pande ‘SuperStation and TNT beginning in late AprilVARIETY MARCH 22, 1996 H-Bis showing its initiatives, literally By RITA STREET Like many animation houses, ianna-Barbera Cartoons has had its ups and downs over the years. Featuring a library of characters powerful enough to touch the lives of four generations, the company, founded in 1957 by ‘veteran animators Bill Hanna and Joc Barbera, has always been a major player in the animation world, and indeed, pioneered the production of Saturday moming ‘TV cartoonsinthe "60s In terms of new product, how- ever, Hanna-Barbera has experi- ‘enced some lean years since then But the °90s have seen H-B factor back imto the production equation ina big way, using a two-pronged, character-driven strategy of retum- ing some of its vintage propertiesin new formats and programs aimed at a new generation of viewers — staring with this fall's “The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest. 0 be Tollowed over the next fo to three _years by new versions of "The Jet Sons" and “Scooby Doo™— and ihe efationotanew group of char- aciers through ts unique “What a Canoon" shorts program, That stratepy. combined with the broadcasting power of the Turner empire, which owns Hanna-Barbera, has made the stu: Gio buster than ever, ‘Weare a cartoon studio first and foremost, nota family studio or an animation studio.’ H-B prexy Fred Seibert “We are a cartoon studio fist and foremost, nota family stud or an animation studio." said He Bopreny Frod Seibert “We hav’ wrest compettors who pride themselves on being animation studios, and that's fine. For us, animation is only the technique by which wemake cartoons."* However, when Seibert arrived in 1992, fresh from building MTV into a cable powerhouse, the studio was nowhere near the production mode in which it now finds itself. Having gone through several changes in ownership, H= _Bowas in a state of lux and artists ‘Were exiting at a furious pace. In order to establish stability in both the business and ereative depart- ‘ments, Seibert begana seven-year plan with a twofold mission: Give animators the creative freedom that had been missing since the industry's Golden Era to make ew cartoons, and reintroduce characters of the past to the chil- drenoftoday, In order to ereate new char- acters for the H-B library and en- tice artists back under his roof, Seibert and his team built the program, a series of 45 shorts that air on the ‘Tumer networks, all of which are ereator-driven by animators lured to the studio, rather than part of Some specific executive mandate. “Every great animator has told ‘me that the one thing he or she Pines for is work on a seven- minute cartoon,” says. Seibert “It has been the basic building- block of our business — the equivalent of the 21/2-minute pop song. And the greatest thing about it is that an animator can develop and oversee direction and production of that film pretty ‘much solo.” Seibert maintains that creating projects that emphasize freedom for animators also happens to be ‘200d for business. He determined that forthe first time since the days When cartoons ran theamcally, there was money to be made in shor’. And, best ofall, because of the company’s marriage with sister ‘Tumer company the Cartoon Net= work, it now had a venue to air product new and old ‘The network also became a convenient testing ground to see ifn; had the legs to expand int fl blown cartoon series. Through various foc groups, including 31800 number and Cartoon Nee works American One ules board, Hanna-Barbera was able to determine tat ont” partie ‘short, animator Gennady Tarak- ovsky's ‘Dexter's Laboratory,” Eat caorg ewer ay ‘the company decided to break it out init own series. "Dexter" wl debut in Apel on all te ‘Turmer channels. A second short, “Cow and Chicken," also willbe Spun ints series 1997s andthe company expecs others follow suitnthe fre Bt fond memories remain the backbone of Siber’s seven year equation: Mos young hed midi Age adult rmembe the HD pa theon of character, For example, Tamer ofl sud recent deme apie testing conducted by the Company in 0 majorite thowed that The Flinsoney" has 23896 10 100% avarenes ae Tepping ‘into this zeitgeist, Seiber. began what would ister be called “"Tumervide naive” ¢ new progam recomniang and reinvent. Ingtop characters and top showin ower, The fit “initaive out of he ‘blocks is “The Real Adventures of Jomy Ques," which willappers i ne sett onal Tuner aon this al. The company fs carenly inthe midst yearlong promoson oftenew “Qua”LOS ANGELES TIMES/CALENDAR MARCH 24, 1996 CS Compiled by Susan King GENDER BENDER tress Christine Cavanaugh not only the voice of the male pig “Babe” but also the voice of the bay genius “Dexter fon the Hanna-Barbera.cartoon series “Dexter's Laboratory.> ~Daster's Laboratory.@artoon Networlkipilays Wii of cable subscribers has abs ped in ast 18 months ‘Bi chon i, vo yeaa canbe a Mies Sirs ose aban baa a we ‘Soja oem be trend he telling Caron ‘ice Upped in ve Yeas Pare lof a wage lk iawn Gat ter tt besoin io eu ioe tat erent, Soe age Yee ek tad alin fost ad meg sei Tex Cartoon Uses cory tiled fs ms % i oan ht te red poet Sse Sar toogh bed. provaly Stn ita cul The ea mas ‘eetingn ave tho wary ond ‘Berose maker st Ante SE Ture Broteaning Sye ney peret of he Carton rk Tey have ravaged to eglos thee 2¢hoar carton ie ine when most Elie cgerntore have bes elas Uigtvetd ew aterian “we've dane a good fot ATLANTA JOURNAL/ THE ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION MARCH 31, 1996 ing 8 Vt af role," cays Bey <= Toate, the 3-year ld Cartoon Glas Caron Neo ee ‘That nts, faturisgprom- sions such es summer previews at» neighborhood cng ool, not 9 ‘ie Cartan ‘Nexwork_ has ecore on of the eat requested few channels by ower” ey tet Rovere, 2 oodia ante yet orth Fite Investors Serves. emeday te wil be «staple in popu simost' every basic cable pce: ‘Maybe. But the Cartoon Net- wert ea Youd wap Foom reaching the ébalen-eaboriber leva of ger cana THT end TDS, byeable ewer. ‘Nekstodoarts "Rug Rat” care WMiekeloceon is doing exuemely well" ays Cates, Shay ane e hallenge to ws and eter has bull ts recess ox Mapa arbor Larry of 3,500 falphir eavioosa, I icludes forbes eth “Eanes” : aoe zee “RIT ve gant cash pial Cartoon Retuerk t0 M0 mil: Fon U8. ubecrivers by year-end, ited Kingdom and has 60 mal ea pubscrbers 1 7 countriea ‘ited the Ue ue Suping viewershsp bas more than doubled” the, Cartoon Wetwork’s revenue foc both tvertisers ead etble operons tuho pay small su to carey the Cel. Aa revenue, for ena fl, climbed te S14 millon last esr up from $87 ral in T943, Pigore fortis year hove sot yet been feleated Ul ere ‘Cxperet to be up subsaily ann ‘Were clearly proiable in toe uss" says. Oohen, who. want releue of Tacome. "And ‘we di te yeersin BUSINESS toa wideningyaudience “The: Carts Netuiork fis betohne. one of the nat” requested new channels by viewers. Sonietlay it will bea staple in almost every basic cable package.” STUART ROSSHILLER Media arayst Network strong str, it nseds frost material to Keep the fromeatim. "Your library bad ge tht can tke you eely 0 (ax says Rosmaler, "Tnav’s why the Cartoon Ket work is lovesing beswiy pow in igual programming. The Gist ‘fot a to produce 48 origina ‘shorts More than half have aed, ‘with one 0 far eering eco¥gh ‘ewanatip to vera expansion Ito a. terisn, That cartoon 1s fers Laboratory." which flso has ben cocieled for an Oscer had 2 ‘magieal effect on viewers ‘when the character was brought out of retire- iment two years ago. 4 dion, Manna:Bachea ¢ poise eS Cprucedp "azny Quen” Toba is ssiedld begin dng en TUS, THT and te Crt. work on Aug 26. “Queste ramale hasbeen wus eolng Haron Barbera satehe rogue ir “Let Sooc'say we had ere didesences” says Bred Site fen eck 4 ur Quests tsughnt at pusmteo 89) Taser Peon cent FeO fo hea foto dewey 8 eater”TELEVISION BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL ‘ANIMATION APRIL,1996 “4S Via Satellite U.S, Kids Get Nature Classes {iiss paps ASH ‘Tielctene TV cnpany Cake Cale maura til newt be peg owe hem pcp ant wc pe Not 3 and 30 Tp Se ‘Selim tlowes ema t ceprs toot ape by ENN, gg Coe Roa ‘Sates wo Sho en al Be op sige iain ttt Gea Ty Fasne a Sieetorecshgcamatet pnt Conemeaian iaa See fines lepevs atu hae et “omwme ten "German tor Dagmar Da sae pepo teed 1a es sacl iateetp y Fane ae ee ere Sirens ett theres ty eae ng og he iso f te Tee R ete cae? cuame OER a Soha nielnc een | vd ng a ve bss pn caret one as. cout spent netimaeat mpi Be US had emconccnrerane SSS See ciecimpainmcntge — eeljeemapts materem eae Spear Sioe oem: | eee ecm Sees rere tees eeetaeeremrrenen = Bethe Wain ae i iy ul ad ah ee Seine pesca st $i al i ip ma ep sbictomtper ete Gere toe ce ae Sion or tener Saeco sine Dovibaten Publication, LA RAZON Cny/Country: Buenos Aires, Argentina Date March 27, 1996 Translation TRIBUTE TO THE STARS OF TNT For the next three months, from April through June, the cable channel TNT will conduct a tribute to women in film and a tribute to the legendary female protagonists of all time. The channel will offer, on Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m., the show “Portraits”, which will consist of exclusive retrospective looks at famous actresses, and will be hosted by contemporary actresses (odie Foster will present Beite Davis, for example). In addition, on Thursdays at 7:00 pm, TNT will show talented actresses presenting their favorite movies (Cecilia Roth, among other actresses who are invited, will present "The French Lieutenant's Woman"). This is an event not to be missed,THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER MIP TV SPECIAL ISSUE APRIL 16, 1996 The A List Key buyers tip us on programs that will generate | the buzz and bidding at this year's market.MANILA BULLETIN FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 1996 2 Cerone OER 5 PRLpPine pROGRESSI—S 1300 MANILA? ‘BULLETIN THE NATION'S LEADING NEWSPAPER FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 1996 Bel UNICEF urges local firm to help upgrade women status The United Na. By REI CALAUNAN Animation, where he tions. International ie worked for 20 years, Children’s Educa- fame. William “Bill” of materialism, as in capping his stint as tional Fund (UNI. Purnd Fil' Cartoons not sising up a per- Sita president, Dens CEP) has commis. fiocta manager and fon's worth by the Tis joined Fil Car sioned Fil Cartoons, {xecttive producer amount of money or fs Jor Ja), Cats ) {since 1994, said that property he or she : the worlt's largest : subsequently pro television animation the UNICEF projects has. duced eminent company based in the works, Amon Philippines to pro were the 1994 ace tWo series of an- nominated imated film projects Stones Christmas Teaeeg tt TREES Gverplay lives: Top, estar artes Bt aad Carel and the: 1606 Nomen, especially of 166 inelude those on are, as proven by Ss?-Emmy nominat, ‘Asian gist gducation, hygiene, Rico Rival the artist. ¢@ "Dexter's Lab, Fil Eartoons, with AIDS, etc. One par- cartoonist-comics il- and “Daisy Head over 600 employes, ficult film cartoon etter par eaeel: Mavi Disney, 1s. wholly-owned {8 sompany pro; lencowhoshowed his pit, Tait Disney. subsidiary of Hanna. shots in the assem- Barbera Co,US, and & typical Asian girl parts what Filipinos jing and training o} Bart "oT Turner who playflly proves cand" Dennis aid, BNE and raining of Broadcasting Inter. that girls work as Bill Dennis in his 64° and produced the hational of the CNN hard and need as own rightis superbly ¢6,tnd Produced the — ch food as boys. competent to head pe'yriassleT —= Gite aneinett, SEE teat ehlermag fdideai with Roncr from Walt Diowes “Bese, gad the Sdlthe Temperance Pecures Feature’ Bega” Alagdin’ Put on film various Fil Cartoons is an themes that place almost entirely-Fili Asian girls on an pino outfit, “in fact, equal footing with it's 2 99.9% all-Filip! Asian boys in their no show, talented,Lawrence Daily Journal-World Saturday, April 20, 1996 ‘An animated ‘experiment “Dexter's Laborato the first cartoon short to ‘win ls own halhour show from last year's "World Premiere Toons" project, ‘debuts this week and next fon three Turner nebworks. ‘The Bmny-nominated ani mated series—featuring Dexter, the lie scientific genius’ and his big bossy sister, Dee Dee—will air Saturdays beginaing April 27 on TNT, and Sundays begining. "World Premiere “Toons,” which introduced 30 new shorts last yea, is fa production of Cartoon “diviso SE es cotta new talent and find the next cartoon star. The uli imate goal is to create a fémnamie studio enterprise in the image of Warner [Brothers during the 1940s and 1950s. At the time, the ‘uulo brought to life won erful characters Ike Bugs ‘Bunzy, Tom and Jerry, and Yosemite Sam. ‘A big effort was made to get viewer feedback through direct mail, 800 rnumbers, online exchanges ‘and consumer promotions. Hanna-Barbera, ereator of ie Ffintstones" and feats,” 1s noW owned by PE seaing System, In, “Deiter's Laboratory,” apparently the most popi: lar of the shorts, is created by an obviously talented cartoonist, 26-year-old sand Fang ‘of the Warner Brothers’ re and fury an rated series, however, wil find. that. dhe -Hanna- Barbera cartoons offer no “challenge to the likes of ‘Tweegy, Sylvester or Porky ig in aration and story [No harm trying, thoughBoston Sunday Globe Sunday, April 21, 1996 ! Bremiene Toons projec willbe expanded into 9, new half hour series E beginning Saturday night at 6 on TNT. GSGG iPRINT MARKETING CONCEPTS WEEK OF APRIL 21, 1996 SHOWS ening MART Hallmark Brusrainen, ye ‘will be available in a com ‘bere ee version fot Rronrichestorags Snecpomise Boe ° SSiieRenndiptne Marinas ‘ory. gets sal Suc oF epeinent ‘The’ Famidy Channel. : a Robert Urich plays Matt the fast cartoon abort ‘Trecp, the ead capeinel vin #9 own Pelt hour show aNew Engand tating we fyom last year's “World el, or the meaty revolves __ Premiere Toons” PRICE = of Harms Barbe eany Vols (gh) wd K- Sey Fowaded ty cose Gir Kran become ems Tew talent and find the "Captus rurgewme™ her cartoon str. Te ule Gheyne is a spolled, dmummie ain eerprice orplanel ich kid wo ls, 2 the image of Warner off a loxury liner taking Eroecy dng the 19406 ‘into board school He 3nd 19805 Art time. the Bete up ty the crew of Sua broupsto Me rae ‘Troops boat the “We're gual crac Like Bugs Here He mus work tart amy, Tam and Jen, and to eam his keep. In the Yosene Sa, Process he fraduslly Ag efit was madoto Guay fou & mage get Sewer ease ‘ont an under’ Brough direct nal sanding Taworty Com uabs oWe exteage aon Apt eorscmer promotor, Vadas (The Santa Hawa are, crestor of Gause cw pay "The ivetone "aha sheyne from more than “Jesare,” Few owe 100 candidates, doce a Nmer Broodeurting yeoman’s job inthe et re. ater, 7 "Dexter Laboraary~ “was 90 excited 1 got aiparety the mom pop Ge par ter didnt car if let the shot creed Thad w lay on deal tat by an obviously talented smeko a Gps or fel ala’ cartoonist, 20-pear oid de sexcick from beg on Pex, the ocean for 14 hours a of the Warner Brother SxCigme “eww ail Gagne td fy a rks owen, Uich & petict asthe | Eng Sate hee Kadcenineie cine Site ts Be Butera the boy, and KarEak ~Aullenge to the kee or Ericson shines as Dan Tweety, Syirester or ee Produced (ohecm bye, tough. Family’ Channel and WEEK OF: APRIL 21 TOTAL P.22‘Lab CHICAGO TRIBUNE APRIL 21, 1996 PAlninaton, Wrerdy hero ‘toon into formula for success) Animator’s ‘Dexter’ drawn from experience By Nancy Jalasca Randle Secale Tibone fwenty-six year-old akimation directo Genny Tartakoxsky ("Tiny Toons. “The Critic”) bounds inte the room § with 9 force of energy resembling tat ofthe Cartoon ehareters he creates i ‘Your firs intinet ist call him Genndy. not Me, Tartakovsky. Part of th impulse ‘ems from his familiar manner, Part of it ms trom his dress: kneeiength curt, T- thir, and athlete shoes that mak him look Tike an adullsized version ofthe audience ; that waehes his enimiated shores “The publicist for Hanna- Barbers is scnedul- ing num "rinute-byeminut” The pressure of funding te publicity for the launch of "Dex- ters Laboratory” Irom minute cartoon shor to series states sits squarely ané comfortably don the enists shoulders, He doesn't mind the fran sebedule; he doesn't ming ieaving the ‘adioat Il pin. during countdown to debut (5 pm, Saturday on TNT 830 a.m. on TBS and £30 pm. on the Cartoon Network, Apri 28). Hie coesn't mind te esponsibility Buoyed by 2 1995 primetime Emmy award somination Sou an Arnie Award for he shor version of hs Ehtoon ut boy genus e's fending eal ‘Thee core beneath His youthful zmeanor that reverts itself in ine calm Be | trainisins i th eye of the soem 3d ti she SDheise no-nonsense way he answers ques: | trans. These trate are the eente. of © Work ! ie Brought with him trom Chicago Shty work ethie defintely comes from the | Midwest After I was accepted to Cal Ans. 1! esned bol pers torase the * tc tus} w+ sate, be smmng.ated to the vith bis parents ané elder 1977. They settles Chicago Siren he was pine Tneze inthe tamuly home sive eat of ve ens. us f3ecINIUGN WHT mation sn cartoons exclsted in coms bocks ray nd tron Slas, “allie srhere stu! he remembers His parents Sib for dawg iessons snd snevuraged im, Iscnool he sal got every te wath “The New Ae fniy Mouse." Supet Pends" and ety much eveything that was 99” He aH iTofthe Diseey clases and every oer ani- ‘hated festre tt eame foe “Trakovsky spent we years at Cakembia Coilege before atending Cai Ans “Ihave (© ive Columbia 8 lot of credit. : gota great foundation there A couple 2! teachers fed me in lot about ‘eepecially Stan Hug! ery way they could. 1 learn film an¢ about the technical suppor that I needed.” During his secocd year at Columbia, he contbutes che animation por- tion ofthe mulciniedia testa! "Stempy's Game” staged in Chieze9 ‘Ar Col Ars. ne wrote. éiectee and animsies two stucet fms. Oue of ese became tne basis for "Deater's Laborniony.” | “The shor focuses on a boy geTaus who ture his oom into «laboratory for never-ending experiments. Hs sister Dee Dee i his neme- Si—eager together hands onal of his latest | invendons. Dest became Tarakovskys | ticket to participation io a new snimation aperimen, The executes ot Hanna: Barbers tnd the Cartoon Netwock saw his sh iired him to become pan of a mayor project. | “The etio and se network joined forces in | 1994 10 forge 4 new drei for animation. “Takang ste tnspnrauon irom the aoicen vears of the at. World Premiere Toons modeled their production method: on those used bythe ftusior inthe 19408. The studio and the net- ‘ork set» goal co cresteand air 48 seven- | ininute cartoon shor during ¢ (wo-year | period This equals the output othe major dis in hear anmanon heyeays One aumaonvait—inehiing set. vite and arstt—focuzes onthe cretion of 23 ingle shan canon frm str to fina The Srumstiondeetre given a lrge mesure of reste eel und the eon o create Ont Estioon a3 time. Similar techniques pre duced ‘secon superstars ike Tors and Je>y Bugs Sen, and Mackey Mowe ies sare of eorking that umountTo pornase for he Sreating the sargonr Tonacovoninereh or the advantages of ds syste “Tnow from working around foun on di ferent projects. i very hard to get seme thing made the way vou envision. Beart "rust he vison. They"t2 payin foritc they nave niga out they alvaye wat to pot iWe senin i. then another to ce tnd itm anta someting thet snot sou" “Wha I come to Haans-Baroers 1 reall tag nosing to love because T War jon star ingout There wasn'ta long way to drop. so thought I'might as well doit the way antec 19 60 And they were all for ths They completely left me aione. Luckil, Becats the fit wo cave oot very wel the trust me. So I aad carte blansre wen oh thesenes, oc “estes Laberatary™ teseme the hig sated shor fo cebut on Careon New Dexter ic he fist reakot cartoon tv World Premiere Toons verte: thanks feccbsck system setup 19 evsiuate viewe response. Focts groups. si 800-tne. 3 online bulletin boare. and sammer prome tione gave the boy genius u chance fo mov tothe next eve: lle oe Nineicen years ago wnen his parents im seaed 9 Ameres thoi primary motivan Stas o benefit ines hen cone. They west remove them from poirtical system h place boundaries an thei? options in it Necause ney were leu ak, Tortghavsty tmother died wher ha vas Uo, hs father dle tihen ve was 21 At 2, hs ceompliahroet seaay sarpcsed os pres eopacaon tontnes Sat reecoeopceensereat ing oy te way merge receTHE CHICAGO TRIBUNE APRIL 21-27, 1996 a PEL N EKO aM ays PAU T OT VER R ERO KOHL BODO (MR ESS Conners espe y for the TV debut of boy-scientist DecaTHE CHICAGO TRIBUNE APRIL 21-27, 1996 Animator’s ‘Dexter’ drawn fr By Nancy Jalasca Randle Speco Toupe Wwenty-six yearold animation director [Genny Tactakovsty ("Tiny Toons,” “Tie Critic") bounds into the room with a force of energy resembling that of the atoon characters he creates, ‘Your first instint isto call him. Genndy, not Ms, Tarkovsky. Part of that impulse ems from his familiar manner. Part of it Stems from his dest: knee-length cutfis, T- Shir, and athletic shoes that make him look like an adult-sized version ofthe audience that watches bis animated shor. ‘The publicist fog Hanna-Barbem is schedul- ing him *minat-by-minute.” The presure of tundling the publicity forthe launch of Dex. ters Laboratory” from 7-minute cartoon short To eres sats sis squarely and comforably fon the atst’s shoulders, He doess'tmind the frantic schedule be doesnt mind leaving the studio at Il pam diag countdown to debut (5 ‘pm, Saturday on TNT; 8:30 am.on TBS and 5330 pm. onthe Caroon Network, Apri! 28) He fart mind he respon Boyed by 21995 primetime Emmy Award fomination {nd an Anni Award forte shor version of his catoon abouts boy genius, e's Reding ial. “There is slid core beneath his youthful demeanor that reveals itself in the calm he thaintins in the eye of the storm and inthe Concise no-nonsense way he answers ques- tions, These rate are the center of 2 work ethic he brought with him from Chicego. “My work ethic definitely comes from the Midwest, After was accepted to Cal Ars, I Cleaned boilers and skyscrapers to raise the money to study ar.” ‘A Moscow native, be immigrated to the United States with his parents and older brother in 1977, They settled in Chicago wen he was line. There, inthe family home inthe heart ofthe city. his fascination with snimation and cartoons escalated. "Asa kid, he copied his comic books, draw- ing "Spider-Man and “Iron Man,” “All the Supechero stuff” be remembers. His parents ald for drawing lessons and encouraged him ‘Asa senlorin igh school, be sil pot up every Stnunday moming to watch “The New Adven fue of Mighty Mouse." "Super Friends” and “prety much everything that wes on" He saw all of the Disney clasies and every other ani= ‘nated feature that came to town, Tantakavsky spent two years at Columbia CColege before atending Cal Ars. "Tbave give Columbia alot of credit I got a great Foundation there. A couple of teachers especially Stan Hughes—helped me in every way they could. {learned a ot about (nthe Covers Tian pore again A. Skowish. i ‘om experience oF Dexter (right) and his sister Dee Dee duel with one of the boy-scientist's latest inventions. " film and about the technical support that T needed.” During his second year at Columbia, he contbuted the animation por- tion of te multimedistheetseal "Stumpy's Game" staged in Chicago. ‘ALCAl Ars, he wrote, directed, produced an animated two stisent fms. One ofthese tecame the bass for "Dexter's Laborston.” ‘The shor foeuses on a Boy genivs who tras his room into a laboratory for never-ending experiments, His sister Dee Dee is his meme sis--eager to gt er hands onal of his latest inventions. Dexter became Tanakauskyss cket to participation in anew animation eat The executives st Hanta- Barbera land the Cartoon Network saW fis shor and ized hia fo become part of a major project. “The studio and the newark oined forees in 1994 t forge a new direction for animation “Taking ther inspiration from the golden years of the at, World Premiere Toons modeled their produton matiocs on those used bythe studios inthe 19405. The sudo and the net work seta goal to create and air 48 seven- Ininute cartoon shorts during a two-year period. Ths eduals the output of the major ‘studios in their animation heydays. . ‘One animation unt—incliding a director a writer and enist-—focutes onthe creation of {ingle short cartoon from sat to finish. The fnimation dirctors given alge measure of creative contol sn the fesdom t creat one Gartoon ata time. Similar techniques pro- diced cartoon superstars like Tom and Jer, Bugs Bunny, and Mickey Mouse I's a style of working tat amounts fo paradise for those creating the cartoons, Tarakovaky thrives on the advantages ofthis system, St know frm working around town on dif- ferent projects, it's very hard to get some thing made the way you envision. Execu- tives don't trust the vision. They're payin foritso they have right but dey lvays ant to put two cents in, tien anotier two cents, and it turns into something that snot your. “When Teame to Hanms-Barbers, {really had nothing to lose because [was jut start ing ou. There wasn'ta long way to drop, 501 thought I might as well do ie the way I wanted todo it, And they were all for that. They completely left me alone. Luckily, because theft two came ot very well, they trast me, So [had carte blanche when I did the series, too.” "Dexter's Laboratory” became the high- strated short to debut on Cartoon Network. ‘Dexter isthe frst breakout cartoon star inthe World Premiere Toons series thanks to 2 Feedback system set up to evaluate viewer response. Focus groups, an 800-line, an online builetin board, and summer prot tions gave the boy genius a chance to move tthe next level: half-hour series. [Nineteen years ago when his parents immi- ‘grated to America, their primary motivation was to benefit their two sons. They wanted to remove them from a political system that placed boundaries on their options in life because they were Jewish. Tartakovsky's. mother died When he was 16, his father died when he was 21. At26, his accomplishments have already surpassed his parents expectations ‘and brought to him a freedom of choice exceed- ing by fa their modest immigrant dreams.SHOWS FOR YOUNGSTERS AND THEIR PARENTS 100 An Earth Day musical on Nickeladeon; HBO's moving story of ‘Benny’; Discovery does dinosaurs BY LEE HARRIS. TIMES STAFF WRITER 1 the HBO reality-based special Someone Hod to Be Benny (Sun- day a7 pm), 15-year-old su fering, rom a fatal iver allen is determined to choose how his ds tase ll be tueated and how he well spend his remaining months of he, Bu Benny (Michel Shalnan) ‘oust ight his doctors and the cous to ts choice. For the ete far A version of Rudyard Kiplings 1897 classe Captains Courageous semveson the Family Channel (San LOS ANGELES TIMES TV TIMES APRIL 21-27, 1996 Tins, Api 21-77, 1988 LAB GROWTH: Dexter and his sister Dee Dee see thelr cartoon short expand to a halftiour series this week on Turner networks. We first als Saturday at 3 p.m. on TNT, dayat7 pm), The adventure tells the ‘sory ofa spoiled 14-year-old milion- aire (Kenny Vedas) who falls off a cruise ship and has his ile changed by fishermen (led by Robert Urich) who rescue him, For ages 10 and up. ln Zanatbar, Rocko and his friends celebrate Mondays Earth Day with an environmentally themed musical (Nickelodeon, Sunday at 7:30 p.m, repeats Monday at 7:30 p.m). For the entire fay. . Discovery Channel uses research, compuier graphics and animation 19 give a close-up view of tyran- fosaurus rex in the premiere of The Ultimate Gulde: T. Rex (Sunday at 9 p.m). The premiere is par of Dis- covery Dinosaur Weel, For the en- tire family, In Beast Wars, 2 high-tech ani mated children series premiering this week (KCAL, Monday at 7 a.m. re- eats Tuesday’ at same time), 10 bergenctic advanced groups fight for conttl ofthe gay: Forages Sandu. Bom Free: A New Adventure, on AABCS "Sura Night a the Movies" (8 pm), isan update ofthe original classic. Forages 10 and up. Saray Public Affairs, News SUNDAY: Pacesetters,S am KILL Minority Suecoss Stories, 6:3 am TIA... Meet the Press, 7am, KNEC sce the Nation, 22.7. KCBS ‘Bob Navarro’ Journal 11am KCBS Tony Brown's Journal, 30am. OE. This Week With David Bink: Jey. Dam HABC... Midday Sunday. 11 fam KITV...The MeLaughtin Group, 530 pm KNBC..city View. Spm KAGE MONDAY: Life & Times, 750 p.m KET teug ra FRIDAY: Washington Week in Review. pm. KCET...Wall Street Week 8X pm KGET,PROGRAMMING ‘grew up feeding on animation, But with a mother who permitted only three hours a week of noneducational television — she exempted Monty Behon {rom this rule because of the vocabulary =I had to hoard my TY allowance for Saturday morning cartoons, In the glory days of my youth, it seemed there was ‘an unending abun- dance of Bugs Bunny, and Rocky and Bullwinkle for my Saturday feasts. Then came the Dark Ages. Pres. sured to develop en- tire series intact, th the almighty rchandising angle in mind, animators churned out a slew of pale imitators marked by stiff ani- ‘mation and soulless plotlines, It's about time somebody resur- rected the golden days of TV anima. tion. Nickelodeon already has pro- duced some noble cfforts, but it may be Cartoon Net- work and its studio, Hanna-Barbera, ] that have recreated | Premiere Toons. The idea: give animators the support and environment to produce shorts, promote those spots, And then sit back and see which charac. ters emerge suitable for longer series, ‘That method has produced the latest | Chuck Jones, 26-year-old whiz kid LG vsly_ (Tiny Toons; Batman, the Animated Series), whose zs hort debuted to the highest ratings yet for a World Premi | Toon. The network hopes Dexter vil br its frst breakout star to fuel a new, half hour series on Cartoon, TNT and TBS. SuperSiation | © IsDetter the next Bugs or Mickey? | the cartoon farm CELLULOID HERO? Oniy time wil tel ifthe Premiuy Teme new Turner Broadcasting earoon Destor's Laboratory wil be the next Bugs Bunny. CABLE GUIDE APRIL 22, 1996 TOONFUL A Turner experiment whose time has come | ‘That's quite an unfair standard to ap- bly to such a fledgling work, but I have mixed feelings after watching several episodes. The munchkinsized madcap scientist and his melodramatic sister Dee Dee certainly generate a frenzy of action and twist against a briliant ani mated backdrop. One sibling battle be- tween competing *Mom-droids” matches up well with the best of iugs in generating slap-happy laughs. Despite being irascible, irreverent and frequently irra- tional, Dester stil needs work, though, If not on Dexter's Eastern European accent (Christine Cavanaugh, the voice for Babe does Dexter), then at Jeast on the charac- ters and story lines, ‘That is, ater ali, what made Bugs Bugs, and I believe the folks at Cartoon and Hanna-Barbera ‘know that. So here's to the process and the hope that it leads toanew golden age, On Screen Wilt Workman Dexter's Laboratory Cartoon Network, TNT, TBS SuperStation Beginning April 27-28 Home & Garden Television's latest original Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn, which premieres April 28 at 9 pan, (ET), marks the final two episodes completing the series that began on PBS in 1993, There's not quite enough Hepburn to warrant the billing, but Michael York fills in eloquently as narrator, and the lush footage, especially in tropical gar: dens from Hawaii to Chile, takes over from there. The experience left me yearning for a seratch '’snlf pad to accompany my visual tour, as well as reassured that newer networks like HGTV can put | ‘compelling, quality programming on air fora smaller, but passionate, audience.THE NEW YORK TIMES WEDNESDAY APRIL 24, 1996 TV Notes u The Sunday night rating wars» Looking (t00 closely?) at health care executives. ‘A Cartoon Winner Seon after the Cartoon Nework sated Sn 1092, ta Erehtors Began ¢ ‘companion project to generate new carmons. Word went out to anima tors, both established and new, invit- ‘ng ‘them to submit seven-minute cartoon pilots, Those judged best are ‘then developed at the_Hanna-Bar- Dera studlo and shown cn the 2¢hour “Carta Network In series called “World Premmlere Toons,” The lure is “Tint the rfp oes aay et fulltimesi. ‘The first to earn that vote of ap- proval (actual votes by Cartoon Net- ‘work viewers argund the world helped make the choice) is “Dexter's Laboratory.” Starcing this weekend, Twill Decome a regular half-hour serles, on the Cartoon Network and ies sisier Tuner networks, TBS and TNT, Denier 1 boy seieauist wih an mmanse laboratory i his bedroom fi a ser named Doe Dee (a pe ‘ma donna of ballerina) constaaciy in his way, Created by the 26-year- a ‘Turtakoveky, Dexter etd His voles Tro Cave augn, who spoke for me pig "Babe, all loved the humor In the romer-versus-ister_ relationship,” id Mike Lazo, head of program. ‘ing for the Carwoon Neqworl, odd- ‘ng that this was his tavorie of he 48 World Premiere Toon’ to date. The shortcempered boy genius ‘and the sister who's every Bit as smart but in an opposite direction — ‘they're both very funny." be sald. LAWRIE MIFFLIN Dee Dee and her brother, Dexer, of “Dexter's Laboratory," a new oeries ‘whose popularity with viewers war fra spat on the Cartoon Network.HOUSTON CHRONICLE WEDNESDAY, April 24, 1996 ‘Dexter’ will be fun for-kids of all ages symeeneoame, ye aE eee VK ‘This weekend, the cartoori_Der- Last year, Derter showed ters Laboratory js geting aT the Caztoon Networks World Pre Bumphant debut = and is the dru Teas genes Ward Pree, nt key syllable here, Three of the Turn- pecan ian is - TN Emmy nomination. This year, Der- "TBS and Cartoon Network — ter's got his own series, bucked by Tour tie sertes, ba aot aly rol cute also the Powerhouse teen’ producers carry the show fll time, c fanna-Barbera And guess what? Dexter's Labo- “We're all 12-year-olds,” says Tar- deserves all Os fs, IPs & takovsi, referring to his cllebora ‘boldly drawn and imaginative car- tors, “We all have a kid mentality at toon Crp adults and children heart, We still watch cartoons and will ind fanny. enjoy them. So i they make us ‘Dexter is abrilliant child scientist, t a shor and squaly harcler who Hae age CEM? they'll make the loves to invent st exampl vs When his parents ti him he can't dit of Sumer aaeden 8 stay up to wa Planetsand such Weer Benepe older.” he concocts an aging formu- Eavaenass Be Goge many, {a in his tab. A ent calls his cartoons “minifeatures.””" Unfortunately, fis “experiments “They're played not at an adult en ge, mir oud UU ats level, But at an adult level as for as Dee Due aul Sd Sat a ie Sophistication of execution,” he ballerina type with big blue inne a tyes who loves to de her brother. ‘Desters Letoratory has also nuts. For example, with grace and - spawned Digi M for Monkey, car- charm ~ practically foating across toons based on-Dexter's pet lab the screen — she foils: Desters a aging plane, Re haces 39 cid be renting Dexter does to the ani- can barely walk He gets to stay u “al seems to have an effec, but as late = but falls: sleep watching, "a$ sotin-as the kid leaves the room, “T have an olger brotaer and he ‘he aizial becomes Monkey, Super had ail these intricate toys and he'd Prisateand fghis these mpi: never let me play with them,” says lactic forces of evi,” explains ‘Gennds Tarakersiy, the show's Fanskorsiy. creator, writer and director. *So 1 ‘Dial M will be paired with Dexter wwas the Dee Dee. [ would always tromaeeaee ean ph wil them? preinieres ut “A 26-year-old an student bom in Spee INT, 630 am. Moscow and raised ia Chicago, Tar- Sdnduy on TBS and S30 pan, Stee takovsky used to work on the Bat- ‘on oa See hearee Ithas man cartoon series and on Tiny Saul showings during the Toons, but when he got the chance Wo do bis oun show, he grabbed it. aeTHE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER APRIL 25, 1996 ‘Dexter’s Laboratory’ By Milos Boller From small toons, big cartoons row. ‘A case in point is the wry and wily esters Laboratory,” akicky new animated series with a retro- '0sby-way-ofdisco 70s look that is having a fullscale debut In fact, “Dexter” is the frst of the World Premiere Toons, to be expanded into a regular weekly program, In addition to airing on TNT, “Dexter” which registered as the highest'rated short to debut on Cartoon Network's World Pre- will also Beer seen ‘on the TBS Superstaion and the Cartoon Network. Created by 26- yearold Genndy Tartakowsky (2 Stupid Dogs,” “The Critic” "Tiny Toons,” "Batman, the Animated Series") this fresh show examines Ure life of Dexter, a young genius ‘with a funny accent who whips up ‘some unusual circumstances in his ‘enormous bedroom /laboratory. For instance, in one adventure Dexter opens a dimensional time hole and contends with aravenous, slobbering monster he has ‘brought into our space. Now it'sup to Dex’s sister to make sure the ‘ogre doesn’ destroy her sib and maybe the rest ofthe planet. In addition to “Dexter's” anties, viewers wilalso see a spina, "Dial Mfr Manic This one alo was conceived by Tartakousky, here in league. wit Craig oiebreckon (CThe Powerpl Gre? and Pal Feudish (Super Secret Squire). ‘what is rendered inthis simi lar styled animation is a turbo- charged, crime-fighting litle chimp who wants to save the ‘world, this when Dexter is other: wise engaged. A better safer, saner world through science? Not as dreamed up by the savvy “Dexter's Labora tory,” a sly, postmodern romp “Through the deurtus of eatoor Jom that turns the antics ofa kid inventor into a broadcast that has the ore oft neuron powered skateboard. — ‘em Teor nce lariat Froucen core hm Coe Totes ‘canyon. Airate(Satnty pt 7. 33:90 pun fs) Sunde, An 2307 aimTHE CHARLESTON GAZETTE APRIL 25, 1996 : . ‘the Charleston Gazette, inursday, Apni Zo, 1996 > Calendar 2 > Entertainment 4 PTelevision * 4 Samily-friendly cartoon not just for mad youn; . scientists ‘By Rudy Panucel and Melanie Larch FoR Te Gxzerre Animation fans should be sure to tune in to the Turner cable networks this week: tend for the debut of “ ® one of the most delightful new cartoon shows in years, “Dexter’s Laboratory” is a bright, enter- taining cartoon that can be enjoyed by the ene famly. The. animation, while not groundbreaking, is refreshingly profes- Sonal andthe wing awoke Change » from the “we'te so dever” mediasavy tripe that plagues much of today’s cartoons. “Dexter's Laboratory" is good, clean fun. “The cartoon follows the adventures of a kid scientist, Dexter, who creates inventions in his huge’ bedroom laboratory. ‘Thrown into the mix is his destructive older sister, DeeDee, who usually wreaks havoc on Dex: ® ers incatey planned experiments "This cartoon & uproariously funny. Dex- : . ter Goring a Peter Loree voce, cout : the words ino the mouth fakes ie “Dexter's Laboratory,” which debuts this Saturday and Sunday, talking Oscar contendes) inadvertenly caus: gould Inspire the next generation of mad scientists. es mayhem due t the mindless machina- ; oe © fons of his older sister, DesDee ey) a tonguesn chee tribute to the late ter his stint at Cal Art, Tar “Any younger Kid who has sfféred a the the man who, contrary f0 Pep _ task broke into the arunalion hands of an older sibling is sue to appre- ar lef, singlehandedly created Dusiness. working on “Batman, Gite the comic rustaton of boy genus, at Dalle singlehandedly create ‘The Cri” and “Tiny Toons.” tn Dexter, who can bull's gigantic nuclear "Ost of 3 a 186, ‘he joined Hana Baten fo ‘danni coraplex an Gonteal ae coe work on the une ae ae “Dexter” is the first series to be Plex from his parents, but cant keep his. Desiet the first series to be ‘overlooked “2 Stupid Dogs,” and it © older sister from “pushing all the presty but- kde work's innovative World Premiere Was ere that he developed the ‘Most episodes end with some major —e0n8 program, © “Changes,” the fe which he employs on “Deater's calumily kit unresolved. Depencing onthe “short cartoon, which was the basis laboratory Gcamsiances, Dexter could be transformed (9 hs series, was nominated for an After production ceased on * into an animal or an elderly gent, or wipe Emmy last year —Stupid Dogs,” Tartakovsky signed ‘out half the ity in his giant robot suit. This “Dexter” is the creation of Gen- on to create “De ratory” © sateen gro nnpie tenet goers poy Triaoval, native of 3s part of the World Premere Toons tion of mad scientists foscow whose family moved to program for Hanna-Barbera and Dexter isnt the only star of ‘Dester" The Chicago when he was 7 years old the Cartoon Network. ant middle segment of the halfhour show is While. studying animation at Cai “Dial M For Monkey” the adventures of Arts, Tartakovsky wrote, directed “Dexter's pet monkey who unbelmownst to and produced fwe-animated shorts, his master, is a world-famous superhero. one of which was an embryonic ver: ‘A graphically stunning cartoon, "Mon- sion. of “Dexter's Laboratory.” ! 8 ITHE CHARLESTON GAZETTE APRIL 25, 1996 “Dexter” was chosen to launch the World Premiere Toons series in February 1996, and attracted rave viewers and veteran animators like John Kricfalusi. Last September ‘Tartakowsky was chosen as one of Variety's “60 to Watch," a creative force to be reckoned with, "Dexter” was so well received that the decision was made to air the series on three of the Tuer cat ble networks. The series premieres this Saturday at 6 pm. on TNT and will also be shown Sunday at 9:35 ‘am. on TBS and at 6:30 pm.on the Cartoon Network. The series will be repeated at various times the fol lowing week. As we write this, the series has not been scheduled to air on CNN. :THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE APRIL 25, 1996 “Dexter” was chosen to launch the World Premiere Toons series in ‘viewers and veteran animators like John Kricfalusi. Last September, ‘was chosen as one ofLa Prensa Friday, April 26, 1996 Un genio algo loco, llamado Dexter ‘Translation: On Sunday, Cartoon Network will present its newest star. AMAD SCIENTIST NAMED DEXTER A bedroom which is transformed into a laboratory is the perfect site for Dexter to perform and deliver his formula for 100% pure fun. This cartoon is one of Cartoon Network's less traditional shows and was made famous in 1995 when it was nominated an Emmy award for “Outstanding animated program:” this award caused the cartoon to become a half-hour program which the Argentine public will be able to view starting next Sunday. Created by the 26-year-old Russian Genndy Tartakovsky, “Dexter's Laboratory” was the first star in “World Premiere Toons,” which began one year ago. YOUNG EINSTEIN Dexter is a poor imitation of Albert Einstein. He spends all day in his strange laboratory trying to solve all of life's mysteries and when he is not able to solve any of these, hhis spends his time trying to ward off his sister Dee-Dee, whose only objective is to bother him. She does this in the worst way possible—by tampering with his all important experiments. ‘This causes a huge rivalry between the two which results in crazy situations. Dee-Dee hides in the laboratory whenever she can, she presses the wrong buttons, pulls the wrong levers, and unleashes the most hilarious experiments the world has ever known. ANOTHER ONE FROM HANNA-BARBERA Confirmed as a multinational company for children’s entertainment, Hanna-Barbera, Inc. 1s composed of two entities: Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. and Cartoon Network Studios. The former produces classic cartoons, while the latter is dedicated to the creation of cartoon, stars for the future. Hanna-Barbera became famous in 1957 when it created timeless characters such as the Elitstones, Yogi Bear, and the Jetsons. In 1991, the company was acquired by Tumer Broadcasting System, Inc. “Dexter's Laboratory” can be viewed in Argentina on Sundays at 7:30 p.m., Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. and Saturdays at 10:30 a.m.UK WEEKLY TRADE PUBLICATION FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 1996 INI/The Cartoon Network ‘The Cartoon Network already is seen in Asia, Latin America and Europe. Principally pro- gramed from Turner's vast animation libraty of more than 8,500 cartoons produced under the MGM, Warner Bros. and Hanna-Barbera banners, the channel appeals to chil: dren and teens—$7% are ages 2. 17—and adults 18+ (35%), accord. Isen research, cartoon Network launched in January 1991 in Latin America and is available in 5.2 million homes. In 1995 alone, the network's reach grew: nearly 20% because of the rapid growth of cable TV in Brazil and_ | Chile and new contracts signed in Central America, Mexico and Argentina. Charlotte Leonard, senior vvice president and general manager of Cartoon Network in Latin America, says: “With 50% of households in the Latin American region having chil. dren 12 and under, we are certain the umber of Cartoon Network viewers will continue growing exponentially in 1996. Whether you call them munequitos, monos, dibwios animados is one of 8.500 cartoons Turner has ints arery forse on the Cartoon Network ' or plain ‘toons, there is no doubt car- toons ate truly universal programing.” TNT/The Cartoon Network launched in Europe in September 1993 and is available in 20.3 millionLOS ANGELES TIMES APRIL 27, 1996 “TV TIPS ‘Gapte: TNT pre- fnieres the series “Dexters LaborNEW YORK DAILY NEWS APRIL 28, 1996 ‘we YORK DAILY NEWS 02S “Scientists vs. Salesmen _., KENNETH ver the years Ive heaped praise on i shows as “The Magic School Bus” But that doesht ‘aean I don't appreciate children's shows that Te ‘ood, smart fun without sealing hose educational beige Ivo alo had nce things to my about “Poe ‘Aéventures of Pete & Pel,” and “Animamace” ‘many of whieh seem to pop up 9 poorly — crmieally realized, mot tention imered ‘bly violent that their entire rea. ton for being ssems w be a5 merchandising tool nr ereated by & 00 obsasind BEyear old named Genndy Tarak Steont nove cauratonal priensaae BUTT tne topnotch cartoon Each halnout episode of “Dexter' Laborston "(Sun at 63 pin. Wes ut B pm. and Sitatdab an bm on Tus. ana Sat Srtwe Desier a iched around» Superhero shor ae Mani) In an orale underground 135 below FIs bearoom that foe tnoe aninng about Bester, our bey ac (Chriune Cavanaugh: voice a thereePower Ranger: characters swapping andlor adding uniform eal ‘long with s mighertech (but al eheosy- Tooling) Met of Zand nat ee “Tne show remains But sf you were dragged last week to the loca} gy Sire by your near lg buy ine ten Zara fe “usaton accomplished” af fat 42 tne fOlkt (behind "Power Rangers Zee" are concernedWICHITA EAGLE wECHTTA, KS sunpay 90,671 APR 28 1996 WICHITA EAGLE APRIL 28, 1996 CREATING A Sele ™@ Moscow-bom animator Genndy _ ‘Tartakovsky lives the ‘American Dream on the Cartoon Network with “Dexter's Laboratory.” VE Dexter, a boy genius scientist who Whips up timetravel machines and Inlergalactic monsters in his bed room laboratory but isn’t allowed {2 sy up post 8 pm. to wate ‘The bane of Dexter's young life Is his older sster DeeDee, a ditzy ballet dance: who is forever mis- chievously meddiing with his experiments. ‘Short, squal, mechanically mind- ed Dexter and tall, lithe and melodra- matically minded DeeDee are total ‘opposites. They also are the stars of "Dexter's —Laboratory,” the “rst breakout car- toon from "World Premiere Toons” on the Cartoon’ Network. ‘That means the one-ime exper! ‘mental cartoon has been elevated into a weekly halthour series, because of :udience demand leaned front focus groups, phone polls and an online bulletin board. ‘And it will be shown on three of ‘Ted Turner's cable stations to ‘make sure everyone has a chance to catch this clever, quirky car- toon that could become a cult treat in the “Rocky and Bullwinkle” motd BoB CURTRIGHT Dexter Laboratory wil iron ‘TBS (Channel 20) at 830 am. Sundays starting today with @ repeat at 405 pm. the same day; fon the Cartoon Network (Channel 58) et 5:90 pam. Sundays starting today with repeats at 7 pm. ‘Wednesdays and 7:3) am. Saturdays, and on TNT (Channel 18) at 5 pm, Saturdays. "Now meet Genndy Tartakovsky, peter eeate oar th bs told — alter ego. “Actually,” Tartakovsky admitted during a coaversation in Los ‘Angeles, “I think I am a lite bit of both Dexter and DeeDee.” ‘AL26, the Moscowborn “Tartakovsky is one of the youngest ‘animation directors in Hollywood, ‘and he considers himself a gen- tine American success story. He snagged an Emmy somina- tion for nis first professional car- toon short, *Changes." which introduced the “Dexter's Laboratory” etaracters. Later in 1995, he Won the Anne Award for the Same cartoon, ‘And just last August, he was named one of Varietys "50 to ‘Watch’ as @ future leader in the entertainment industry. 'Not bad for a kid who grew up toving Soviet comic books this favorite was about a hip, smoking ‘wolt) and had no idea he could make a living at it, much less a career with people lining up to praise him. "We have discovered a huge tal: cent in Dexter's creator,” enthuses Fred Seibert, president of Hanna- ‘Barbera Inc, where "Dexfers~ faoratory”"s mode. is Bety Cone, present of the Carton Network where Dexter ais "The development of "Dexter Laboralory” into a series [S'aperect example of how we're making ood on our ori promise to develop the carton stars of tomorrow. arlakoeky himself takes a more modest esas he was in the iat place a the right ime. ie moved tothe Uae Sates vith hs parents at age 7 and grew pin Caleage. From the very begianng, from wat can remember, always ted comic books and cartoons. ‘When twas in scoot drew a ite Iithere and theres e sid wih 3 Soft race ofa Russian accent. Te was studying advertising at at calurnia Cotlge in Chicago wen be decided fo take an eective clas in animation, It wes ke a éoor opening, he said. ul if was the 198, andthe (ani mation) market was prety mach dead. Nt a tof people were going ino animation” But he moved to Los Angeles anj- way to stay animation a cl Arts forest jot a5 "Who Framed Roper Rabie and “an American {Tal sigale the rebirh of the ani mation industry He was selected as tne ofthe animatars to goto Spain to bring the new TV “Batman" fo ie “And when I came back, it was all in full bloom.” He found work on such stows as 2 Stupid Dogs,” “The Critic” and Steven Spielberg's “Tiny Toons" in various capacities, from layouts to storyboards to directing, before get ting his big break with “Dexter's Genndy TartakovskyUsually, as far as pitching a car toon and making your own idea for tivo anos impose” “You have to go through writers, through executives, through story ‘peopl, through everything, so that by the ime your original concept comes to the screen, I's not your concept at all. Its something else” But Pres the experimental showcase on the Garon Nerwor, thi 4 som i “Dexter's is reminis- Gent of the ‘colored, no‘rils style made famous in the 1950s by the UPA Studios and later by Hanna Barbera, ~ “When Hanna-Barbera developed television animation, they developed it simply to make a faster produc- tion, I think. But this style is more appealing fo me than anything else. got lucky by having what I do simi- lar to what works well on television.” But the ook is realy the key to Dexter's" charm. The whimsy ‘offbeat take on universal childhood experiences are what will draw adult audiences as well as children. Siblings Dexter and DeeDee are natural antagonists, but there #8 a sweetness to their conflict rather than the meanspiritedness found in the “Beavis and Butthead” or "Ren & ‘Slimpy" school of cartoons. ‘They also are a throwback to the “Rocky and Bullwinkle” silliness, but ‘with clever, more complex plots. In one of the first ones that I pre- viewed, Tartakovsky does a cartoon version of the famous science fiction tale, “1201,” about a man doomed to relive the Same hour over and over. Here, Dexter invents a space gate- way that allows a slimy monster to enter his bedroom and eat him. He ‘writes a warning note to himself, hhands it to his ditzy sister and shoves her into his time-travel cap- sule to send her back in time to ‘warn hin not to open the gate. ‘When Future DeeDee arrives, Dexter doesn't pay attention to ter, ‘and the monster arrives on schedule to eat him again — and again. ‘In another adventure, Dexter rebels at doing housework while his mother is under the weather and invents a Momdroid to do his bid- ding for him, leading to “Maternal Kombat.” WICHITA EAGLE APRIL 28, 1996 “The whole concept came from Just an animation exercise that I wanted to do in school with two dif- ferent characters” T said. “They just kind of ‘Brow ‘and escalate, And then this eame out of it” Bob Curtrigit’s media columa Cartoon Networt Moscow-born Genndy Tartakovsky, left, tums his fantasies into a cartoon that has been greenlighted to go from experiment to weekly series on cable's Cartoon Network.WICHITA EAGLE APRIL 28, 1996 Below is a look at his boy-geniusSATELLITE TV & VIDEO MAY 1996 | _ Novi Hanna-Barbera DEXTER HANNA-BaR- Bi INC: Taponaty sre. si studlo 22 an maciiu.(posle studja DISHEM, ie ertace ug lavnom emituje kanal Teds ‘Turnera CARTOON NETWORK, Uuenutne radi na nekelika now snimiranih TV senja, Popularnt rahi crtac DEXTER'S LABORA. OY (nominovan ove godine te Tegradu EMMY) oreretee u TV serijy koje éeimati 18 Polutasovain epizoda. To je prva Serio bazicana na jednom od rathih ertaca koje je prosle setone emitovas konal CARTOON NETWORK U ofa ekiuse THE | WORLD PREMIERE TOONS. Serj o detaka Denert Roy hers Dronalaske u svoj) spavace| soot fartovate istovremeno’ i Amenici iu Evtepi preko kanala CARTOON NETWORK° KIDSCREEN MAY 1996 Calendar of events . Industry Comdex ne 35 Chicago 617-449-5600 Taysamesecroncs Teronta Werldwide Short Fim Festa Tune 3 Teron, Caneda 16535-8506 Fin Fri deunese nernaonal ‘ue 713 ‘Munich Germany J 9-89-50002058 | Kids V7 » | eant Telesion Festal tune 315 Beni Canada 303-678-9260, TY Programming “amescan Sooke Assoc Convention une 15:17 Chieago. v-e00eso-sera | Pubishing latin american TV Market (DIAS) une 18°20 Madi Span 31345-6003 TV Programing PROMAX nternavona tune 1922 Los Angles, CA 213-4653777 Tremaine Licensing Show '98 tne 2527 New York, NY 203-256-4700 Toys o> | eae Enertainment Seinr Tune 26:29 New York, NY 2i-4er-aaee Confrence atonal its @ Decorative Accesories Market June 29-3 Oalas, 1 214.749-5035 Giumovelies Comicon iterraional ya? San Diego, CA 619-508-9555 Comic booksCharaces SDA ie Schwan Desks Acadamy 10-73, Las Angles, CA 818-385-1500 Wee New York nenationl Git Fair ug, 15 New York NY 1-800-272-7260 | Greets 4, | ieshima international Animation Festival [| Avg 72-26 reste Japon aian2asazas | anmaton Mogi erations ug, 2529) Tas Voges NY 310-383-7957 Apparel European cesing Far Sept 610 Baring, UE 141618559001 | tkensng & Mecananng Das toy Show Sept. 510 Dallas, TK 214-749-5035 TpsGanenEecrones EleconicEnersinnent po (3) Sept 1927 7ekyo,epah 508-628-4891 0S) _| ToysGemeseones | orawatmeratonal AnimaionFestnal Oct. 26 nana, Canada e13252-6727 animation ARCOM Tutor 0a. 56 Connes Fence 3e-1a¢s4aeas | ProducionDatibuton rcoM Cannes France B-rassearaa | ProducionDisubution The Mabaonal Show 00. 15-17 Chiag0. 1 708-950-7779 UcensingtueravP a1 WrwideUcensing Exposion 08. 2325 Hong Kong 212-575-4510 Ucersing& Merchandang [rein tinea Products Manufactures Ace) Oc. 27-35 alas, Tk 609-231-8500 Macalaneous PM Entrainment Marketing Conference Nov 10-12 Los Angeles, CA 212.981.0009 Enternmersicensng Tondon rogram Market Nov. 1820 tendon, UK 23-181-9485522 | ProsuctonDistbuton Comdex Now. 1822 as e925 NY 617-449-6600, ToyvGamesfecrones MPAs, MAS Leer Dec. 57 Hang Kong 3a-rasseanag | Disibutowtcensng [thor angeles ine Animation eebratin | fnvary 1957 Los Angeles CA 319-591-7668 -nmavon NATPE Tan. 13:16 New Oars VA 310-859-4040 Ty Programming Norembirg nernatonal Toy Fa Tan. 308665 | Nuembug, Germany J 49911-398130 | TonsGames ruses Festal of Cartoons &Arimaton Feb. 5-16 Bruseb, Belgium wr2.5366125 animation Mua Feb. 10-12 Connes, France 33-14a-3e-4648 | erocivennlimeds | emer Teton era Feb. 10-13 Monte Cao, Monaco] 201-869-4022 U5)_| DistibvionProaucton American ternational ey Fair Feb. 10-17 New York NY 212-675-1181 To Superhow Feb. 14:17 Alena, GA va00.07-3736 | Seon Paci Nahe Toy Aste Toy & Hobby Far | Mar 15:17 Sette, WA 206-242-4462 Toyores als Git Toy Show Mar 118 als, 24769-5055 TeysGomes Botagra Chien: Book Far Age 1053 200972 ay 39-51-282361 Pubihing ° Deen on 41-16 Connes, France Baaseaada | ProsucionDaibaton as Angeles, 31059-4440 ex. 270) Animation Epo Fea ° CANROCIN TWohikANIMATION MAGAZINE MAY 1996 x fy Dever's Laboratory. created by Genndy Tatakowsky and a break-out star (rom the World Premiere Toons project, is being expanded into a new half-hour series to air fon three of the Tumer entertainment net- works Cartoon Network, TBS and TNT.ELIZABETHTON STAR ELIZABETHTON, TH DAILY 9,000, FRIDAY MAY 3 1996 Ea BURBELLE'S 5p "Cable stations launch new ani From small toons, big cartoons grow. A case in point is the wry and wily ‘Dexter's Laboratory,” a kicky new ani. inated series with a relro°60s-by-way-of- diseo "70s look that is having a full-scale debujetn fact, “Dexter” isthe first of the ‘ons to be expanded into a regular weekly program. In addition to airing on TNT, “Dexter,” which registered as the high: ELIZABETHTON STAR (TN) MAY 3, 1996 est-rated short to debut on Cavtoon Network's World Premiere Toons, will also been seen on the TBS Superstation and the Cartoon Network, Created by 26-year-old Genuady Tartakovsky (2 Stupid Dogs,” “The Critic,” “Tiny “Toons,” Batman, the Animated Series”), this fresh show examines the life of Dexter, a young genius with a funny accent who whips up some unusual ci es cumstances in his bedroom/laboratory. For instance, in one adventure Dexter opens a dimensional time hole-aid con- enormous McCracken. tends with a ravenous, slobbering mon- Paul Rudish (‘ ster he has brought into our space. Now it’s up to Dex’s sister to make sure the ogre doesn’t destroy her sib and maybe the rest of the planet. In addition to “Dexter's” antics, view- 2 mated show ers will also:see a spinoff, ‘Dial M for Monkey," This one also was conceived by —Tartakovsky, here in league with Craig (The Bawarpuff Girls”) and el. ‘And what is rendered in this similar styled animation is a°turbo-charged, crime-fighting little chimp who wants to save the world, this when Dexter is o erwise engaged. worio Popular Wednesday, May 8, 1996 | Dexter, el nifio-cientifico CARTOON NETWORK at 20:30 BOY- SCIENTIST DEXTER This month Cartoon Networks premiere centers onthe anima Laboratory created and directed by Genndy Tartakovsky. Upstairs in his bedroom laborato: ry waking ~ te raing. solving, and revealing the formula for 100% pure, laugh-cut london’ {his miniature mad scientist isn’t busy searching for the secret of lie voc got this hands ted series Dexter's SATRINg up trouble whenever she sneaks into Dexter's laboratory, Pesky Dee Dee presses {he wrong buttons, pulls the wrong levers, and unleashes His oe aos ‘experiments- ‘gone-wrong the world has ever known.AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN MAY 12, 1996 MAY 12-1995 AMEPICAN-STATESMAN * By Noma Cavazos. Tre alas Homes * 1 you ike tonow ore about “Des tea porary and ite creator, Ger Pay Tartakovsky on the Cartoon Ne’ A®"Dexter's Laboratory,” the first breab Gut hit ofthe Cartoon Network's Work Premiere Toang, has ben expanded int 8 half-hour show, airing Saturdays o: TINT and Sundays on TAS and the Car toon Network. “Dexter” 25 year-old cre ator is ane of ye youngest animation dt ~rectors inthe industry Born in Masco | Tartakovaky and his farally moved t ‘Chicago when he was 7. He attendec Chicago's Columbia College before mov Spel, A lomutymizain a Cal Are where he first conceived “Dexter. Tht voice of Dexter, a boy pits who invents in his laboratory/ . tS Provider by Christine Cavanaugh, who also wa: | the voice: "Ey Se (Cee, 20. Hox 655257, Dati, exas SZ6S,The Keepin’ it unreal with Dexter, Boston Common and Andy Rooney BY ARION BERGER Hershey Is classi fon every Foodie's list is hip, So in the cartoon world, while Dis: ney remains classic, even in is jumbo de- vourer-ofsheuniverse size, Warner Bros, tests the waters of coo! with some galleria boutiques and then expands into a dinky net work ofits own. And what does Ted Turner get stuck with? ment Group uses 1B oldies as ee rot eee can LA WEEKLY MAY 10-MAY 16, 1996 repent ey rent eee aaaes tem ea aapcigrene pas iebaretepense rows chabes fee ee nee cae acter Teeeer a Se Sian Hee eH CTH CS 4 fehr scence), and it all begins again. Simple, compact, perfectly timed and pristinely drawn, Dexter's Laboratory is {ageless animation that truckles neither to kids’ moral training nor to adults’ worldly knowledge. (Dexter's first half: hour incarnation preiniered last week- end on Cartoon Nework-carrying ca ble services all over, meaning almost nowhere, and also, fortunately, on TBS and TNT —a rare argument in favor of media-mogul acquisiiveness,)ADVERTISING AGE MAY 20, 1996 “The theoty that the higher you aim, the fewer viewers you reach just doesn’t hold’ Brooke Bailey Johnson, Senior VP-progiamming and production, AGE Network KIDS Agere retort w mre se cific demographics, younger Viewers are receiving increased attention from market leaders Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network and programmers new to the niche such as Court TV. ‘Asa niche, children can appear to be manna from heaven to cable networks. They comprise a group of some 30 million ‘consumers who spend bil- lions of dollars annually, and they love TV. But they are also @ notoriously fickle and demanding group that is {quick to condemn TV shows to obscurity. Nickelodeon, which now captures about S06 of the children’s gross ratings points on TV, will continue its block programming trend this fall wth a lineup that adds the 8-8:30 pam. slot to prime time. Dubbed Kids First Family Friendly, the half hour slot will play host to two new shows along ‘with nev episodes of the popular Secret World of Alex Mack. The new shows are Hey Arnold, about a kid who lives in the city, airing on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Kablam, a show that will use numerous types of animation to follow the story of two kids who live in 2 comic book. It will air Fridays while Alex Mack will air Mondays and Wednesdays Ted Turners three-year-old Cartoon Network has tripled its subscribers to 25 million, in part by following Nick's exam= ple of developing a clear identity through briginal programming, Last year, the chan- re! began airing World Premier Toons, 48 original shorts that serve as plots for new “The goal was to introduce new charac ters to kids st arate faster than any other time in history” said Mike Lozzo, senior \VP-programming and production, One of those seven-minute pilots ~ 's Laboratory — began a ‘new life as half-hour series last month (April). It cen ters around a boy genius creating inventions in his bbedroomlab and follows Cartoon’ goal of offer- Cartan het’ Mie kao cts (he etueetina slant of the now ing more than simply animated humor or action. “We also feel it's part of our responsibilty to offer programs with an ‘educational slant," Lazzo sai. Last year, Cartoon Network asked children’s TV Workshop — inventors of Sesame Street — to create a one-hour pro- foram for preschoolers. Big Bag will pre- mmr weekly next month (June) with live studio hests and new Jim Henson-creat’ muppets. “Sesame taught numbers and letters” Lazzo said. "Big Bag is creativity and tea ing kids to use it in an entertaining fashion. ‘A successful departure from the generic cartoon was this year's introduction of Space Ghost, 1Vs only late-night talk show hosted by @ cartoon superhero. Backed by Hanna-Barbera’ library of {3,500 half-hdur eartoons, Cartoon Network has access to a wealth of resources, La2z0 said, In August, 65 new episades of the 1960s Johnny Quest series will kick off “Here was an older show with not that many episodes that stil remains enor- mously popular.” Lazz0 sai, “So we did an Updated version with an older, more con- temporary Johnny.” WGN-IV, the Chicago-based supersta- tion, also has successfully atraeted kids with WB's classie cartoons. Station manag: cx Jim Zerwekh said this fall WGN wil ai ‘an hour daily of WB cartoons, and four hhours on Sunday morning,COOPER POINT JoURHAL OLYNPTE, we WEEKLY 3,800 THURSDAY, WH 6 1996 'Today’s cartoons are the best in histo: A ridiculously long discussion of the TV animation renassaince by Mike iS and yan Fankenseuss Thess Lock through articles in magazines lke TV Guide and Entertainment Weckiy or eavesdrop on ‘emenatsabat Trond ‘hetorcabout Salurday ornngcrap andy | Ait The fortnat rath thatthe two kinds oF 2bominatons are amor thing ofthe pot te! Tekisonaimetion ha undegone renasanesincethelate a0, Sure there ysis ot unabasedy horrible unwatchable prtageon he eves bl dep the exes sich tmechandisingdrven progam as Cepy Cable 2d TheLies Per Shp oe FV atch {ood or ing tobe good naw than ever bore, Inthe beginning there a= pap. The or ins of {devson animation, tox would ape, cme fom ana atb, r Sectng eeen To ond “er artons for decades, lam lsnaaond seg {idea oun themes ced ree oe anda new challenge teleison Thy qu learned that smaller budgetsanda sein endes ned or moteldctined eon, nda eee tomy {heir methods of animation. Wien The ull al Reda Show premiered in 1558 pve American audiences lat what would soon led Ted animation" (or a8 some have called relive Beakteeing wit moving arms ane) The show ‘sssuresi hough primary wield Ton tnd ergy an a he Sher ce race et opular with adults and children ake), More lined ‘en sw toe gh ans rbrastesas ol Bear Hkh lou Qu Drow McGaw anda he est Sly acumen | these shows are funny and tneligenbut that’s | pty tinea noneahing ne | ‘atcing them new vl most key econ ur Bored the reoetive storie and lack omton | Hanna arbera st the standards: Poorly snimated, unfunny Cartoons for kids, So08 Tetons jy Ward and countless thers got nan the a paring oot wl al huge te es {ites very oceina ret whe here mas sometin {nny or sphsated such Roly ad Bulla ex Bl Clamps Beany and Cebu fre at peti ad ‘nf966 Sturdy morning became he ine for bedcaoos eval maj ner ahd ‘ompetng id's shows. For years vo cme Saar ‘morning would be the hone frlow qual eran, produced by unimaginative lannaas fe Spears DePaeceng Flmationnenners rete) bs nerpadaninates wba bleed ine Caen A COOPER POINT JOURNAL JUNE 6, 1996 were alos ight ‘The eis have een described a “ihe dak ges for TV animation ba twas actual the erade ‘were everything tuned around. Rising animation ‘casts made full motion a distant memory, until some ‘Behe mente figured something ot Uniortontely for many American snimator (a ‘mos likely thovsandsofunderpaidanimatorsabroad) {tas discovered that faring out animation to ‘verses production house allowed more a bemade ts smaller price. Some said the quality of the Srimation fred, bt vaso bao epi wi tat Kids didn't seem to mind-and gradually things inproved. Whole bodies would move stead of just limbs, characters would rum instead of er up nd lovin font of rolling background, At whatever {hecost,snimatonasstartingt get more animated Butte cnen of thes ip ony beter The Transformers, Gi Joe and the like were firtrom good shows Every onc while, somebody creative ed to do something intligent, sacha the then-semingly-goou but now clearly: prey bad “Muppet Babies. Bshey even id to make a beter finer TY mands hearted fantasy Gumi Bears. They followed fet ssc Cale uk Th was good forts time Bu great animation woulda become envogue with morethanjus animation fe itllstared with Who Framed Roger Reb? and the new popularity i brought wo att eal Ee, “ot esl {hing around—and not just any catoons, perce animated las fay ertons wert, lope gt a craving forsome ra ie fay artoons In 1880 Some peopl gether withes. For kids, Steven Spielberg unveiled tiny Toon Adventures show which ied harder to be good than any show since dul animation pioncer Ralph Baksh The New ‘Adveatres of Mighty Mousein 1987 No onl wast led with pop calle paredesand wer uma, the usual. aso tved move dng pe cond thane mand new Sn a enn animation, Tiny Tuas caught on oth snd fie itis athe, becoming popu igh ses el asclemeniayschuis Meanie Fo gave ws Te Sinpsonswhichin tum made TV enc stat a deel pri cartoons that aus would like, There ere some hore misty ike Capitol Citers Ph Pceand Thi ace Bison Show: bu the po wos they ere {eying inal. the prevaling stucco the ndsty combined wih heme sporti of tceisin. 1 gt in onthe at with 2 new sve a Ble neve before sen in evn ston “Today, the amount of gua snimated shows the highest in history. The tection i ako more diverse th ve. deen Ba shows ke Noon ave the own distin looks Deni iin 0 goad hat even an snimation obese ent hep op with ll of es Shwe bat ersea tempCOOPER POINT JOURNAL THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 1996 DAMNI THOSE ARE GOOD CARTOONS] =Inonedt he biggest coups the enh se company tat ode ig snarl appy animation no bea i bet frond: ye arse reson why i aD ind Da Checkout this show's eta Testy opt naeles ss. Abo tale noe Cr ag ele ne trig cadens Sige reo designs, Did you eer laugh outloud et Aiom Aner? Wel isis story Thisshwralso or Tas pred ac What carioons your company he-eecised te spade the ouy Cheese int something spec at ihe the nae sepee aed eae Ca bast of te night tk show interviewing en sltintsonatdeisonscenttomnondeonns Ghost Planet. With bizare paral aeg eae rin rie an ban er Frak playing ees theme songby eles Shara mean pes eo? indie Nyou ant att of he canes the 4nd eanvthstndsome Voters oot {2 auph some 605 sperbere su) ty Sata Space Ghost and his enemies host the canes snthougy Carton Pane fs ne = One of the biggest {Merce beneen ow rion re nade ose how they sed obemade moles whence rans Super soneotthecarcontum spat cernicans ‘such as Craig MeCracken’s “A nd = i hichjot Pea tig yeti pe Pal tir ‘tt cartons et made-dols bu might ot belee ie alts Marcendsing te ot ‘ration, Ifyou can visualize as» doll i or get made, Wel, Hanna Barbera has igh pt Inthe face ofthat philosophy with the Teansprogram. The idea behind the programs oi arooniss, ofall det shat Goo, at like was the standard over three decades ago’ ‘sults have been mited, but the soy behind the cartons ia huge stepin the ight dierlon, And = aCHICAGO TRIBUNE JUNE 14, 1996 A weekly guide to what’s happening in and around town ‘Alive and Animated’ for kids — and adults By Howell J. Malham Jr. Ey ee ‘recat 0 2 Dane a a fter shagging a 1995 2 é Emmy nomination for his ultrastylized "Dex. ters “Laboratory.” “Gennay Tariakovslgy is still redonating”with- a Sort eosmie euphoria. “I can't tell you how satisfying it is to have something that is Your own idea get produced and ihen become successful,” says the 26yearold director of ani mation for Hanna-Barbera, Ine Hom his Lae ARgelee otaee “Even more satisfying is that the end product is a.pure and fccurate transition of my orig- inal idea, Nothing has been compromised” Genndy Tariakovsiy (igh), Inspired by the jazzy, avant- ator of “Dexter's Laboratory’ garde style synonymous with the (above) will speak about the ani United Productions of America mation industy Saturday at the school of animation, “Dexter's Chicago Cultural Center, Latralory fea guiPRy a ‘Wily-off ter cartoon series Starring a bespectacled boy te Chicago Cultural Center. fenius graced with an orange. _In addition to some hi-tech ued pompadour and an alfected visuals and colorful demonstra Bastern Bloc accent who creates tions, Tartakovsiy says he'll dis inventions in his bedroom lab, s8 Hiow a cartoon is made, the “I really loved. that old UPA evolution of the medium through stuff, like "Gerald MeBoing- the years, violence in cartoons Boing! and "Mr Magoo’ he and the commerciallzation of says." They were simple yet animated shorts in this so-called effective ‘toons that talked to “Toon-Boom. everyone, not just kids.” “Tt should actually be a lot of ‘Tartakovsky, a native of fun. I would say to parents, Masco, WHT fave an opportu. bring your kids. Or. more accu” nity to speak to Kids of ail ages ately, kids, bring your parents” at “Alive and Animated:"a one: “Alive and Animated” is part tap symposium on ibe busines of the ‘Cura Ceers month and artcat-thes'animation insry, 2815 pan. Saturday at Mea COL eeeSoURe NN OCus ANIMATION & LI VARIETY JUNE 24-30, 1996 ENSING Toon houses have ‘nternational look DLLYWOOD ‘The ever-increas- demand for animation talent has resulted in artists from all ‘ver the world going Hollywood, nthe 1970s, it was unusual to .e an animator who was from Canada, even,” says Dream- Works feature animator Tom » 10, who alsois president of Car- ‘nists, Local 839. “Nov, all of ourstudios ook like the U. ‘The dosing in recent yeurs of ‘omajor British studios — Am- zsimation in London Sullivan/Biuth in. Dublin fought a battalion of British and mopean talent to US. shores. inany of the es-Amblimators fo lowed chief Steven Spielberg to DreamWorks, where the inter- national talent roster now in- cludes artists from France, Italy, Bulgaria and the Ukraine, Like- wise, many of the former wwBluth artiets have land- cd in L.A. or followed leader Don [Bluth to the Fox Animation Stu- doin Arizona. Some Euro artists have be- come industry stars, notably Pol ish-born animator Andreas Deja, who was wooed out of Europe by Disney in 1980; Russian-born Genndy Tartakovsky, who ere ated “Dexter's Laboratory” for Hanna:Biarbera; “and “Uline artist Igor Kovalyov, former head of Moscow's Pilot School of Genndy Tartakovsky, creator of “Dester's Laboratory,"is one foreign-born animator who found U.S. success, Animation, now a fixture at Klasky Csupo, where he directs episodes of “Duckman” and “AAAHH! Real Monsters.” Ifany Los Angeles studio war rants the United Nations anal- ‘ogy, it is Klasky Csupo, which employs’ artists from nearly a dozen countries, including Rus- sia, Hungary, Belgium, Poland, Ireland, Japan and Germany. “Wehavealways been amagnet for designers and animators who seek artistic freedom, whether they come from the US. or abroad,” says Klasky-Csupo's Hungarian-born co-chairman, Gabor Csupo, Michael MalioryUSA TODAY WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 1996 BRIEFLY: anc News chet Roone Arlee sys Ella. BRIT pe maybe Joan Lundens net on Good Morning vy eonoating wil Lunden... The Cartoon Nerwork is Destiny up it orginal animated production with 39 more of Dexter’ bal ‘hours of a new series, iveresnmt! from the network's World Premiere Toons series.1996 CAVE KIDS CLIPSVARIETY JANUARY 1, 1996 LURING TINIEST TOTS —_——. ‘hare or peschooler ae Ip te eaon of “app ERSTEIN "Puzzle Place” producer Cealy Babies" and “Tiny Toom HEAIGAEE Trae who cal devetoping 2 Cav Bide spin of fara ‘multicultural currieulum for Gparariersintoa softer gentle HOLLYWOOD The market for Show that tackles such toddler preschool programming is tak- young children “a signifieant friendly issues ax sharing an Ing of, and producers are rising challenge. Our pre-schoolers teamwork, Hanna-Barbera se to meet the need with more fre exposed to a barrage of TV Hor veep Susan Franonrahs carefully considered choices ideas. Young children see Fiintstones theme wat integra than ever before, “There's basi- primetime TV, and the local to aveeptance of the new show cally more preschool program- hews is very violent. Wehave to ‘ing now, which means there's be concerned about how we tall “Brand association is becoming ‘mare good stuf and more bad ‘to our children to counterbal- critical to the success of proper. ui” says Nickelodeon VP eit ties" she ays. "You're fone BrownJohnson, Public response to the year see a refreshing. of Hannu Recent preschool shows have gid how has been “unbeliey- _Barbera's clase propertic: become more developmentally ble," says Truett, and “The Through brand extensions like criented, with such concepts as Puzile Pace” ie now rated sec- ‘Cavekids” diversity and problem-solving ond only to “Barney” among “Parents are dying for qual emphasized over numbers and PBS preschool shows, with av- ity." save Truett, "We're more letters. While the more tradi- erage ratings higher than “Ses- sare than ever that our pre- onal approaches of, "Sesame ameStreet.” Schone need cere develo Street” and “Barnew" remain ickelodeon's. Nick Jr mental experiences help Popular, shows lie Nickelode- school Sock on tie at eran them learn, Parentx are being. Se Gillah Gullah Island” and SIO Oh ngthenedy more demanding ef ql, PBS “The Pure Place" repre- SST on cah inks from —_wh'so mane envicer betwee sent che latest in child develop- the parent network last year, hhomevideo and eable. When we ‘ment theories and political er- and has doubled is rating’ as 2 havechoice, weave voice rectness. “Gullah Gullah 13: ‘result, New shows such as“Gul- land,” for example, features an ee ‘Atran-Arnivicah amily Sh Sendak’ Little Bear." as wellas ‘an involved father, and Nickelo- ‘deon officials laim its the only [preschool show on the air deal tthe second season of “Allegra's Window" run from 9 am. to ‘noon with no commercials dur- ing witha real family. ing the shows, a practice par- ' cents appreciate “A huge change is that we're S ceainy Via Nick Jr. shows are designed Traetlonmesea - ‘around a “flexible thinking” cur- is developmentally appropriate {or pre-schoolers,” says PBS iculum, which gives tots the rector of children's. program- Mills to solve problems. and ming Alice Cahn think fr themselves, promoting “The Puzzle Place,” which ‘emotional inteligence. The con- premiered lastJansary, was the ‘cept was developed by panel of Fecipient of PES" biggest grant parents, educators, pveholo- for. preschool programming fists veachers and artists Since’ "Sesame Street” At the “TV is powerful” Johnson lume, PBS was selang a series says, “We should be very eare- bout diversity, in response to iviasepane the fact that 405 to 6D of the aren settticmmeraline rato presto are fom au ‘ i onAnglo and. mixed back: ation. z ‘grounds. Lancit Media, crestor rye tthe awardewinning "Reading featuring Pebbles, ‘Bemm Rainbow,"eame up. with the te winning ‘concept, which com= so popular that Hanna-Barbera Binet pubpoce ea live action br Gecided tocreateashawaround 8 “single curriculum” approach the idea. The Flintstones spin- teaching acceptance of diver- off is clearly commercially or sey slongaice ieee ‘ented, but was nonetheless de- uch as nonviolenee and learn- ‘veloped with the help of parents Reamutaiiien atone, ane wihehabalpe aVARIETY FEBRUARY 12-18, 1996 Familiar products take new shapes et, iii inten ByPATRICIASAPERSTEIN | ested. ie Even mondo-lcensed “Loon- ey Tunes,” which seem already to appear in every conceivable See continoe to place ever | fier of osamed’ ites: are ‘more green in licensers’ pock- being updated and spun off. 2s, a8 spinotisand updates are | Rune, upasted and sun, of developed to keep the elassic | 1 soney Tunes Lovables, an products fresh. Longtime favor~ fant line launched two years Heseanbecyaza but licensers | fam Une launched two years inerensingly ar looking to keep | ##°. Shieh ie unceofeonsumers, |" ‘™® | “We saw the appeal Looney | wing Fun: Drawing of "Dio sala of orimumsee: ‘Tunes had to parents,” says | Stacker," to be lawechel iene Batman, for example, was| Jones. “So we took the oo ‘with Hobs “Cave Kids” preschool nearly dormant for many years | boreunity to soften the men toy line, which means a new in feature flms sparked what | chandise, and create baby ver. | rebenreatrons om of the “Flint the Coed Conant Tenewal of | sions of the characters with a | atones” franchise the Caped Crusader eraze. But | color palette geared toinfanta”™ between “Batman” flm releases, HOLLYWOOD Evergreen prop- how does Warner Bros. maintain “Cave Kids’ coming concept was created by taking ‘momentum for the franchise? At Hanna-Barbera, brand ex- | the Pebbles and Bamm Bamm “Batman has stayed consis-| yensian eat nome reper seo | charactors, with Dine a thee tently hot,” says WB consumer | also top priorities. Hence, the | baby-sitter, and making the produets prexy of worldwide li- | ereation of "Cave Kids After | characters “softer and mech censing George Jones. “There's | the release ofcke Pittston” | morecadaly.” 2 lot going on to keep the prop- | feature film in °94, which ap- | _ Set for a 1997 launch, “Cave erty fresh.” In addition to the | pealed primarily tothe §-12 age | Kids” will appear on a angest successful Fox cartoon “Ad- | group, H-B realized infants and | baby products, erib accessories, yentures of Batman and Robin,” | preschoolers. were not being | active wear, toys and books, & Jones says Kenner’s toy line, | reached by the "Flintstones" | series of animated videos cach the popular DC eomies, more | empire, According to Russell | including a “Lfelesson,"is being than 190 other licensees and a |_Hicks, VP of H-B’s inhouse developed to reinforce the con- series of promotional tie-ins | Orbit City Are Dept, the infant | eeptepresentedintheaeesWORLD SCREEN NEUS NEW YORK, NY WORLD SCREEN NEWS. APRIL 1996 (-TIHES/VEAR APRIL 1996 Hanna-Barbera, with 1,015 characters and one of the largest animation libraries in the world, also plans coordinated merchan- ising campaigns between television and retail outlets. “We have program blocks on broadcasters throughout the world, and ‘we then followup with consumer push” says Susan Franks senior VP of Hanna Bar. beraCartoons, division of Turner. The Finistones, Tom and Jory, Yogi Bear and Scooby-Doo are recognized characters: throughout the world. Every year we are launching something new for kids.” Last year, The Real Adventures of Jonny ues was launched, and this year Turt- ris introducing Cave Kids Adventures, featuring the Flintstones characters Peb- bles, Bamm-Bamm and Dino, as a pre- ‘school educational/entertainment car- toon series. A full merchandising campaign will follow, complete with 5 yg toys, books and music. Everything old is new again: For its upcoming Flintstones spi-off, Cave. Kids Adventures. Han: books and music pe withave Elia ht en coc bodes ext ter se prearatn ote Basen Pl a live-action movie of The Jetsons, and " aa 1998-90 will be the year of couby-Doo,” Frank says, “Our broadcasters are not just licensees, they are truly partners, ‘and we work to provide them with what- ever they need.” If studios continue to master the art of marketing, promotion and tiein, the inter- rational marketplace wil be afertle pay ‘ground for them, Yabbadabbacoo! anVARIETY JUNE 24-30, 1996 THE BRANDING OF ANIMATION Studio marketing mind-set evolves ByGARY LEVIN NEW YORK It’s true that car- toons, because of their broad- based appeal and easy dubbing capability, have always been @ quick sell for those shopping TV product overseas, But overseas markets have been so receptive to classie characters in reeent years that many studio mer- ‘chandising arms are targeting those markets from a licensing point of viewas never before ‘Some, in faet, have begun em- ploving classic’ brand-manage- ‘ment techniques to exploit their animation libraries and expand heir franchise: abroad. That egy often includes hiring marketing staffers with package leoodls pedigrees todo the job. Walt Disney Co. and Warner Pros, — the two giants of the licensing industry — have ex: punded their overseas in structures to better manage urowth into new markets, Which represent a major share tuny future growth, And other