Studio Doodle

- Bella -

- Studio Doodle (Labradoodle) and Supervising Licker -

- Cheshire Smile Animation -

 

CHESHIRE SMILE ANIMATION AND STUDIO B PRODUCTIONS TEAM UP TO PRODUCE 1 HOUR ANIMATED CHRISTMAS SPECIAL FOR TELETOON.

For Immediate Release

CHESHIRE SMILE ANIMATION AND STUDIO B PRODUCTIONS TEAM UP TO PRODUCE 1 HOUR ANIMATED CHRISTMAS SPECIAL FOR TELETOON.

Television movie’s development, pre-production and post-production at Cheshire Smile Animation’s new Saskatoon Animation Studio, to be animated in British Columbia at Studio B Productions.

24 March 2008 – (Saskatoon, SK) Producers Cheshire Smile Animation and Studio B Productions announce the beginning of production on The Side Show Christmas, an animated Christmas special following The Most Unbelievable Show on Earth, a Side Show facing foreclosure on Christmas Day. Written by Jeff Martel and Directed by Tim Tyler (The writer/director team from A Fairy Tale Christmas, 2005), The Side Show Christmas will be in production from January – September 2008 in Saskatoon and Vancouver. The Side Show Christmas will be broadcast on Teletoon Christmas 2008.

The production is executive produced by Blair Peters and Chris Bartleman of Studio B Production and is produced by Tim Tyler of Cheshire Smile Animation.

“We are thrilled to be producing The Side Show Christmas in Saskatchewan and British Columbia” says producer Tim Tyler of Cheshire Smile Animation, “our partnership with Teletoon, Canada’s Animation Station, and Studio B Productions, a world leader in the production of quality children’s television, represents a significant opportunity for the evolution of the animation industry here in Saskatchewan.”

When Sandwell Shanks, the owner of The Most Unbelievable Show On Earth, hypnotizes Santa, turning him into the star of a wildly popular Side Show attraction to stave off foreclosure by the Bank on Christmas Day, it is up to his son Jason, with a little help from his friends at the Side Show and North Pole, to save Christmas and his fathers beloved Side Show. The Side Show Christmas is a story about family, friendship, and what it really means to give in these modern times

“This is an exciting project for Studio B,” states Blair Peters of Studio B Productions, “The Side Show Christmas promises to be a great success, as already demonstrated by the commitment from TELETOON. We are delighted to add this to our 2008 production slate, alongside Kid vs. Kat and Martha Speaks.”

Established in 2000, Cheshire Smile Animation is an award winning animation and interactive production studio located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Cheshire Smile Animation specializes in animation development, production and management services for the creation Broadcast Television and Interactive Media. The company website is www.cheshiresmile.com.

Colin Murdock and Cathy Weseluck perform during the recording of The Side Show Christmas at Dick and Rogers in Vancouver BC.

The Side Show Christmas is produced in association with Teletoon, with the participation of the Canadian Television Fund License Fee Program, the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit Program, the Saskatchewan Film Employment Tax Credit Program, and the British Columbia Production Service Tax Credit Program. The Side Show Christmas was developed with the assistance of SaskFilm and the CTV Saskatchewan Program Development Fund.

About Studio B Productions Inc.
Headquartered in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, Studio B Productions Inc., a production subsidiary of DHX Media Ltd., is a leader in the field of kids’ entertainment. Studio B is the producer of such popular and award-winning properties as Ricky Sprocket – Showbiz Boy (seen on TELETOON and Nickelodeon worldwide), Being Ian, The Amazing Adrenalini Brothers!, Class of the Titans and George of the Jungle®, a co-production with Classic Media, Inc. on Cartoon Network U.S. In addition, Studio B will launch two new properties in 2008, Kid vs. Kat, an original series with YTV and Jetix Europe and Martha Speaks, a co-production with WGBH Boston. For more information, please visit www.studiobproductions.com

About DHX Media Ltd.
DHX Media Ltd. is a leading international producer and distributor of film and television programming and interactive content with an emphasis on children, family and youth markets. DHX Media Ltd. shares are listed on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange, AIM and the Toronto Stock Exchange, TSX. In addition to Studio B, DHX Media’s other production companies, Decode Entertainment and Halifax Film, are the producers or co-producers of 14 original television series and theatrical releases currently commissioned for production and maintain a growing library of over 1,750 half-hours of mostly children and youth-oriented television productions. DECODE Enterprises is the distribution subsidiary of DHX Media Ltd. It handles programme sales for third party producers and for DHX subsidiaries DECODE Entertainment, Halifax Film and Studio B Productions. www.dhxmedia.com.

For more information about The Side Show Christmas, contact Tim Tyler, Producer, Cheshire Smile Animation Inc., 306-652-2102 or by email tim@cheshiresmile.com

 

Seelenheil nominated for a 2008 Showcase Award

“Seelenheil” the three minute flash animated film that I directed and produced in partnership with Rick Stefanowki has been nominated for best Animation at Showcase, the Saskatchewan Motion Picture Industry Awards.

Since I have a pretty bad track record with award nominations thought I would thank everyone here for there great work on a tough project.

Rick - Great Job. You found this project, financed it, kept it moving forward, lost hair because of it, and ultimately got it done. Good Job. That is what it is all about.

Andrew - Thanks for creating a rich, epic WWII story with suprising relevance to the world we live in today.

Torin - Thanks for all your help. A great editor challenges the picture to be better. You did and the film is better because of you.

Ross & the team at Cosmic Pad - Great Job on the audio. The music is awesome, the foley is great. Thanks so much.

Nathen - Great Job. You persevered and work with me to deliver a great film, thanks.

Paul - Awesome Animation - Thanks again. I know it was a lot of work.

Chris - Those BG’s are awesome. Without your wonderful color, this project just would not have the tone and depth that the final picture drips with.

To the voice Cast - Thanks Again.

Most importantly, Thank you SaskFilm, The Saskatchewan Arts Board, and the National FilmBoard of Canada. With out you this film would not have been possible.

 

Overview on Pitching to Cartoon Network

Here is a cool site about pitching and developing with Cartoon Network.

Now get out there and sell em a show.

http://www.pigsandrainbows.com

 

The Great Adventure Begins

I am trying to write this post using my iPhone after a couple of crazy days on the road

I got in to Vancouver on Sunday night (10 February) and went down to Studio B first thing Monday morning. It was great to go meet the people who have been doing such a great job working with the crew in Saskatoon to visualize the show. In this modern world you can do a lot with email, FTP, and an iPhone but nothing beats a handshake and a look in the eye.

After Studio B, I went over to Voicebox to meet Lana and Terry to go over voice casting for Side Show Christmas. Wow there is a ton of talent out in Vancouver. It was truly great to start hearing the voices come together. A lot of the voices were very much what I was hoping for but also, some really wonderful surprises.

The big thing we were shooting for was to find actors with range and depth to their voices who can give the animators some real meat to build the performances on. At the same time we need depth and texture to the voices as a cast so that each character can stand out in their own way from the other characters in the cast.

Next step is to see how Teletoon feels about the casting choices we present to them.

We record on the 14th of March. I can’t wait.

 

Side Show Christmas Cast

Drysdale, Jason, and Sandwell from Side Show Christmas.

 

Exciting times for Cheshire Smile Animation in 2008

Well it is official, Cheshire Smile Animation is on the grow in 2008. After working away slugging, it out in producer / director Tim Tyler’s home office (which remains the official world HQ) for part of 2006 and and all of 2007, Cheshire Smile Animation Inc. has set up a new studio for the production of “Side Show Christmas”.

“Side Show Christmas” is a one hour special that will be broadcast in Canada on Teletoon Christmas 2008. The show is written by Saskatchewan writer Jeff Martel and will be produced in Saskatchewan by Cheshire Smile Animation Inc. and animated in British Columbia by Studio B Productions. Blair Peters and Chris Bartleman are Executive Producing.

Animation design is currently underway and is being split between Studio B and Cheshire Smile. I will direct the production of the boards and animatic here in Saskatchewan. The show will then move out to Studio B for animation production in Flash, and then will return to Saskatchewan for Audio and Video post production.

This production was the result of a pitch that was delivered to Teletoon initially at the Banff World Television Festival in 2006 and has been developed in partnership with Teletoon, SaskFilm, SCN and the CTV program development fund to create an original story with vibrant characters.

 

Watch “A Fairy Tale Christmas” on YTV

Make sure to gather up all your young ones and settle in to watch “A Fairy Tale Christmas” on YTV this Christmas. It’s the perfect distraction after all the gifts have been opened and Dad’s hands are way too numb to assemble any more toys.

A Fairytale Christmas - Dec 22nd @ 2pm EST, Dec 25th @ 1pm EST - Kidnapping the King’s daughter is no way to get onto Santa’s “nice” list.

“A Fairy Tale Christmas” was animated entirely in Saskatchewan in 2004-05 using a combination of classical and Flash animation techniques and has helped to launch to careers of many great Saskatchewan animators.

“A Fairy Tale Christmas” is a Christmas Adventure Musical featuring songs by Jay Semko (The Northern Pikes) and Ross Nykiforiuk (Cosmic Pad Studios)

It is also my broadcast directorial debut and was responsible for a 160% increase in the size of my bald spot. It is rumored to be for sale in Wall Mart but I have not seen it there myself.

 

Side Show Christmas - Animation Designs VI

Things have really been hopping for me in the last little while, so I have not had too much time to write any posts.

We are in the final phases of putting together the financing and production deal for “The Side Show Christmas”. It is very exciting right now, if everything goes according to plan it will be produced in 2008 and for Broadcast on Teletoon in English and French, Christmas 2008. More details to follow soon.

Thanks to everyone who has worked on this to date, your great efforts have helped to visualize and make the story real for our production partners.

This is a concept design for Santa’s Workshop.

This is a concept design for the Performers Lounge, or Green Room back stage at the Side Show.

 

Cheshire Smile Animation inks development deal with CBC Kids.

Cheshire Smile Animation Announces Development Deal with CBC Kids on the 13 x 3 minute live action animated series Toby’s Canada for CBC Television and SCN.

14 November 2007 - (Saskatoon, SK) Producer Cheshire Smile Animation announce the beginning of development on Toby’s Canada, a television series for 2 – 6 year old children starring Toby, a digi-savy seven year old who makes and stars in his own short docu-videocasts about his experiences discovering the magic and diversity of Canada.

Toby’s Canada is produced by Tim Tyler of Cheshire Smile Animation Inc. and Mike and Mark Birkland. It features the writing talents of Darwin C. Vickers (Ned’s Newt, Jimmy Neutron, Pelswick), and will be developed for production in the summer of 2008.

“We are excited to be working with CBC Kids and SCN in the development of Toby’s Canada” says producer Tim Tyler of Cheshire Smile Animation Inc., “We have been working for a long time on the development of this property, and it is great to see an appetite at the from CBC Kids for original Saskatchewan television content with a National Focus.”

Toby is an inspired, animated (literally and figuratively) child in a live-action world who is passionate about discovering the many facets to life in Canada. As a roving vid-caster, Toby travels the nation finding entertaining educational and cool stories about Canadian geography, locations and life for his friends watching on television and the internet at home. Children love Toby. They look up to him because he is versatile and talented with computers, cameras and technology and he uses those skills, along with his natural curiosity and good humor, to explore the Canadian places and stories that children want to learn more about.

Established in 2000, Cheshire Smile Animation Inc. combines broadcaster focused development and production of animated entertainment properties with service animation and interactive production.

Toby’s Canada is developed in association with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and the Saskatchewan Communications Network, with the participation of the Canadian Television Fund.