KIDS FIRST! News

In response to the phenomenally successful first round of quboPic premieres that aired this past winter, qubo, the TV and online entertainment service for children and families, will debut a second round of user-generated animated short films on qubo Channel as well as on qubo’s broadcast blocks on ION Television, NBC and Telemundo beginning Thursday, July 16.

Thousands of young animators from across the country logged on to qubo.com to create short animated films using an innovative storytelling web application called “Zimmer Twins”.  qubo selected fourteen films to be to be converted into fully animated mini-movies for national broadcast.  qubo producers will re-master each film, converting it to high-resolution video with broadcast quality color, music and sound effects.  qubo has also enlisted character actors to record the dialogue  and narration written by the animators in their text bubble scripts.

The “Zimmer Twins”, Edgar and Eva, are animated characters featured in interactive cartoons that kids can create from scratch, modify and share with their friends in a rich, safe web environment. The “Zimmer Twins” section on qubo.com includes storytelling tools, pre-made animated clips and simple editing instructions that tap into kids’ inherent love of stories.  The clips and storytelling prompts explore classic kid themes like science, animals, magic and adventure.  The animation interface is designed around the basic elements of sentence structure, and reinforces reading, grammar, and writing techniques. After creating their stories, users can post and share their creations and even vote for their favorite user-created submissions online.  In 2007, the “Zimmer Twins” won the International Interactive Emmy® Award.

“We were thrilled with the response to our first round of quboPic premieres and can’t think of a better way to honor and thank our viewers than by launching a second effort, “said  Rick Rodriguez, president and general manager, qubo.  “We are proud to showcase the creativity of these talented children on our air. The “Zimmer Twins” helps reinforce qubo’s mission of engaging children’s minds while promoting reading and literacy.”

Congratulations to the director Jeff Mizushima for “Etienne”

After Richard’s best and only friend, a dwarf hamster named Etienne, is diagnosed with terminal cancer, he decides to take him on a bicycle road trip up the California coast to show him the world before he must put him to sleep.

KIDS FIRST!® Adult Juror Comments: It’s sort of a weird premise but it does make a point about a person’s sensitive and how a pet fills a void in a person’s life like nothing else. Richard is very sweet. As Richard embarks on his road trip, he runs into an interesting assortment of people, shares his woes with him about Etienne’s disease and people respond to him positively. Beautiful locations, very pleasant sound track. Love the French music. And, Richard, who had no friends at the beginning, makes friends all along the way. It’s actually quite philosophical in the way that the various characters explore their innermost thoughts. The ending has its own surprise that will bring a smile to your face.

LUNFEST is looking for amateurs, students and aspiring indie filmmakers and producers involved in films aligned with our by…for…about women theme and are especially thrilled to receive animated, documentary, international and comic pieces. Films are viewed by over 25,0000 people and screened in over 150 venues across the country. There is no limitation based on the year of production and winning filmmakers are awarded $1000 cash! The postmark deadline for this year’s films is April 30, 2009.Please visit their website for more information about LUNAFEST or submit a film. Feel free to contact them at (510)859-2214 or at [email protected] with any questions.

The Shortie Awards: Student Film and News Festival is seeking international entries from all student and teacher filmmakers and news producers.The Shortie Awards is a FREE festival recognizing original digital media productions created by student filmmakers, ages 7-18, and their teachers. The festival focuses on nurturing imagination and choice making in students.SUBMISSION DEADLINE: 03 April 2009Entry Form: http://www.shortie.org/festival/submitFilms may be no longer than 10 minutes – Fact or fiction.The entry categories are in festival are:. Live Action: Narrative, Documentary, Experimental, PSA, Music Video, or Other. Animation: Stop-Motion, Claymation, Machinima, Digital, or Other. Daily News BroadcastThe age categories are in festival are:. 7-10 years old (2nd to 5th grade). 11-14 years old (6th to 8th grade). 15-18 years old (9-12th grade). K-12 teachersTHE ENTRY FORM AND GUIDELINES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THEIR WEBSITE AS WELL AS DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE EVENT AT WWW.SHORTIE.ORG.International applicants: contact [email protected] for alternative mailing methods.

“America’s ready for a black Santa!” says Snavely Claws, villain in “SANTA AND SONS & daughter!” movie marking 4th Anniversary Public Access TV Event showing.”That’s a funny, new wrinkle,” says Director, Robert Battaile. “We’ve had a black Santa wanna-be for years. His name is Snavely and he even wears a black, Santa suit!” He sings a mean, talking blues song “Snavely Claws” in our comedy movie “but I thought he’d been cured of his demented ambitions.”Now in its fourth anniversary year, “SANTA AND SONS & daughter!” (www.santaandsons.com) the family musical movie is showing on Public Access TV throughout December in 31 states – over 200 cities in the U.S. and internationally in Austria and United Kingdom; plus countrywide in New Zealand and Ireland. “We’re showing in Vienna, Virginia and Vienna, Austria.” adds Producer/Director, Robert Battaile.”If you’re not near an access channel, we’re available nationally on DISH Satellite at Starfish TV Network.”Watch a :60 trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBDEuextKFU and click on “high quality” for best viewing. Patience please. Or, go straight to Santa’s homepage at www.santaandsons.com and watch movie clips, photo galleries and more.”SANTA AND SONS & daughter!” is an indie musical movie that was produced by Battaile’s video company CALEXAS (www.calexas.com) in northern California in 2004, and appeared in three festivals, Gloria Film Festival, KidsFirst! Film and Video Festival (where it was also nominated for “Best Movie for 8-12 Years Olds”) and STARZ! Festival. Creative Child Magazine gave the film an Award.”SANTA AND SONS & daughter!” introduces Santa’s wife Sara, two sons Nicholas and Klaus, and daughter, Sandy Claus. Sandy flies a talking, anti-gravity sleigh named Blaise and falls in love with Zwerkin, the inventor of a teleportation device that helps Santa get into houses without chimneys. The villain, Snavely puts on his black Santa-suit and sings about “deer kabobs and antler soup.” The comedy musical features seven songs.