Monday, July 09, 2012

Nickelodeon UK Announces And Confirms At The 'Children's Media Conference 2012' Plans To Show The Brand New Nickelodeon Shows "The Legend of Korra", "Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventures", "FRED: THE SHOW", "How To Rock" And "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" Soon!

While attending the 'Children's Media Conference 2012', a conference held in the UK for everyone involved in developing, producing and distributing content to kids – on all platforms), as part of Nickelodeon UK's panel, Nickelodeon UK treated 'Children's Media Conference 2012' attendees by showing them a very special presentation called "This Is Nickelodeon" (video below) which was produced and edited by London-based creative producer, writer and editor Allan Blatch, in which, as well as showcasing some of Nickelodeon UK's, Nicktoons UK's, and Nick Jr. Channel UK's most popular shows, such as "SpongeBob SquarePants", "House of Anubis", "iCarly", "Victorious", "Camp Orange UK", "Big Time Rush", "Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness", "Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom", "Team Umizoomi", "Tickety Toc", "Poppy Cat", "Bubble Guppies", "Olive the Ostrich!", "Peppa Pig", and Nick Jr. Channel UK's upcoming brand new show "Pocoyo", Nickelodeon UK also announced and confirmed a few of the brand new Nickelodeon shows that Nickelodeon UK will start to premiere and show on Nickelodeon UK quite soon, possibly as part of Nickelodeon UK's Autumn/Winter 2012 season.

According to the "Check Out The Hit New Shows On Nickelodeon" section of Nickelodeon UK's Children's Media Conference 2012 image spot, a few of the brand new Nickelodeon shows that Nickelodeon UK will start to show in the not-to-distant future are the brand new Nickelodeon sitcom "Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventures", the brand new Nickelodeon comedy series "FRED: THE SHOW", the brand new original animated Nickelodeon series "The Legend of Korra" (due to premiere on Nickelodeon UK during Autumn/Fall 2012), the brand new Nickelodeon comedy show "How To Rock", and Nickelodeon's brand new CGI-animated "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" series (due to premiere on Nickelodeon UK during Autumn/Fall 2012)!

Nickelodeon Image Spot for the Children's Media Conference 2012 from Allan Blatch on Vimeo.

Produced and Edited by Allan Blatch for Nickelodeon UK.

Nickelodeon UK Announces Nickelodeon UK's August 2012 Schedule Highlights - New Shows, New Episodes, Sneak Peeks, A Special Week Long Stunt, And More!

According to the "List of Nickelodeon (UK & Ireland) Events" Wiki page on the free internet encyclopedia 'Wikipedia', Nickelodeon UK has announced a few of Nickelodeon UK and Ireland's August 2012 Highlights via Email with a Nickelodeon UK viewer.

According to Nickelodeon UK, in addition to Nickelodeon UK starting to premiere and show the second series of "Camp Orange UK", "Camp Orange 2012" on Nickelodeon UK and Ireland and Nickelodeon HD UK from Thursday 16th August 2012, to celebrate "Summer On Nickelodeon 2012", Nickelodeon UK's latest brand new show, "Alien Surf Girls", a brand new Australian science fiction/fantasy television program produced by Jonathan M. Shiff (the maker of the Nickelodeon UK shows "H2O: Just Add Water" and "The Elephant Princess"/"The Rock Princess"), which Nickelodeon UK will premiere on Nickelodeon UK and Ireland and Nickelodeon HD UK from Monday 23rd July 2012, will be continuing on Nickelodeon UK throughout August 2012.

As well as Nickelodeon UK's brand new show, Nickelodeon UK is also planning to premiere and show brand new episodes of "Power Rangers Samurai" on Nickelodeon/HD in August 2012.

To celebrate the summer holidays on Nickelodeon, Nickelodeon UK will also be bringing their "Nickelodeon Shuffle" programming block back to weekday mornings, giving Nickelodeon UK viewers the chance to wake up with back-to-back episodes of their favourite Nickelodeon shows!

Nickelodeon UK have also announced that Nickelodeon UK and Ireland and Nickelodeon HD UK will be showing a sneak peek of another brand new show, and that Nickelodeon UK have also got a special week long programming stunt planned for August 2012 as well.

Although Nickelodeon UK have not released any more details about Nickelodeon UK's brand new show, such as which new show they'll be giving a sneak peek of to Nickelodeon viewers in August 2012, or what Nickelodeon UK's week long stunt will be about and involve, but some of the possibilities of Nickelodeon UK's new show are the brand new original animated Nickelodeon series "The Legend of Korra" (due to premiere on Nickelodeon UK during Autumn 2012), Nickelodeon's brand new CGI-animated "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" series (also scheduled to premiere on Nickelodeon UK during Autumn 2012), "Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventures" (due to premiere on Nickelodeon UK later this year (2012)), "Fred: The Show", and "How To Rock". Nickelodeon UK could also be planning to air early sneak peek previews of five of the brand new Nickelodeon shows - "How To Rock", "Fred: The Show", "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", "Avatar: The Legend of Korra", and "Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventures" - that Nickelodeon UK are planning to premiere during Nickelodeon UK's late 2012/early 2013 season as part of Nickelodeon UK's week long special programming stunt.

Also, Tweeted (posted) by Nickelodeon UK and Eire on their official Twitter profile page (@NickelodeonUK):
Someone develops a crush in @victorious at 12pm - any idea who it is?
And:
Love @icarly singing! Fab :)
Also:
Tess is feeling guilty! #lifewithboys - on in 1/2 hour!
And:
Every day we're shuffling! check out @iCarly, #lifewithboys, @victorious & #bigtimerush from 11am
Also:
Aw - poor Kendall & Jo in #bigtimerush - decisions, decisions...
And:
Loved #lifewithboys! I'm always having bathroom battles with boys! r u?
Also:
Wedding bells are ringing in #bigtimerush this avo! 1.30pm peeps! :)

The Huffington Post Interviews Mathew Knowles About His New TeenNick USA Reality Show "Breaking From Above"

From The Huffington Post:
Mathew Knowles Talks New Destiny's Child Album, Blue Ivy, Reality Television

As this year marks the 20th anniversary of Mathew Knowles' Music World Entertainment, the industry titan is showing no signs of halting the label's track record of success. In recent weeks, Beyonce's dad premiered his international reality television show, "Breaking From Above," in America as part of a joint venture with MTV International. The series, which initially aired last November in 160 countries, follows Knowles’ latest girl group, From Above, as they navigate the mogul's artist development program.

During a recent interview with The Huffington Post, the Fisk University graduate and former Xerox executive opened up on his latest foray into unscripted television, and offered some details on the release of two new Destiny's Child albums and his love for his grandchildren, Juelz and Blue Ivy.

Congratulations on the recent U.S. premiere of "Breaking From Above." Are you planning on shooting additional episodes of the show?

Yes, we're absolutely thinking about doing that. We’re in the discussion phase right now. This is all a part of a joint venture with MTV International and so Teen Nick falls within their Viacom system. And it’s the older demo for the channel [13 to 21], with a sweet spot around 18, 19-year-olds. Which is also the sweet spot from my girl group, From Above.

Where do you envision From Above in terms of making an impact on today’s music scene?

We have to look at more creative ways to rolling out albums. And we’re still in discussions with having that strategic partner that we need. It’s my belief that you can’t put out albums today just in a vacuum without having a strategic partner. And that was the reason why we were so successful with Destiny’s Child and Beyonce, because we always had L'Oreal, Walmart, clothing lines, etc. etc. So we’re still a work in progress with From Above.

Is this your first experience working on a reality show?

This is actually my second. I did my first one about six years ago with Channel 4 over in the U.K., which is one of their larger networks. However, this is the first show that I’m the creator of. And we’re looking to do more of that in the future, because TV is the new radio for music.

What are your thoughts on so many record executives, such as yourself, transitioning over into unscripted television?

I think they offer a lot of knowledge, and so I think that they’re the right people for those roles that they’re playing. Maybe I’ll get a call one day for “American Idol” [Laughs].
You can read Huffington Post's full interview with Mathew Knowles here on the official Huffington Post website,

Dutch Book Publisher 'Podium' And Nickelodeon Consumer Products In The Netherlands Sign Deal For Future Educational Program Based On Nickelodeon Preschool Favourites; Rainbow Announces New "Winx Club" Merchandise Distributors

From Animation Insider:
Animation Licensing Update

Licensing News

The following article highlights select brand licensing or consumer product notes announced over the past few weeks. Some of the announcements, like the upcoming line of Adventure Time books or the renewal of Winx Club dolls, are well-timed with a greater schedule of new products in-line with the brand. Additional licensing agreements cover everything from tents to walkie-talkies to nighttime underwear.

In the latter weeks of the spring season, book publisher Podium (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) reached an agreement with Nickelodeon Consumer Products regarding a future educational program for Nick's preschool properties. Nickelodeon perennials Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego Go! will help educate local kindergarten students regarding basic counting and social-emotional skills, as well as for various language learning activities. According to sources, the program will be developed in line with the Dutch national curriculum with additional support from various electronic media platforms

[...]

HIT Entertainment inked a licensing deal with Sakar International (Edison, NJ) that looks to develop, manufacture, and market a collection of Thomas & Friends merchandise that will include everything from clock radios, walkie-talkies, and text messengers to digital cameras, flashlights, and computer accessories. The agreement covers the U.S. and Canada. More recently for HIT Entertainment, toymaker Fisher-Price (East Aurora, NY) is reportedly close to an agreement that will find them marketing and manufacturing the global master toy range for the preschool CG series Mike the Knight. Role-play items, playsets, plush toys, figures, and more will comprise the toy line. The deal would exclude the UK and Japan.

[...]

[...] in the backyard of Rainbow, the company announced in mid-June a few new toy distributors for Winx Club heading into the key summer and autumn months.

New partners on board for the series reboot include Bizak (Spain), Universal Trends (Germany), Cotiplas (Brazil), Emway (Indonesia), Tisak (Croatia), and OFY (Serbia). More than ten new doll collections are planned for 2012.

Winx Club dolls are produced for the worldwide market by Witty Toys, part of the Rainbow Group (except in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, where JAKKS Pacific is the master toy licensee).
You can read Animation Insider's 'Animation Licensing Update' report here on the official Animation Insider website, AnimationInsider.net.

Nickelodeon And "Victorious" Star Victoria Justice Looks To Create Her Own Musical Sound

From the Associated Press via the Lexington Herald Leader:
Victoria Justice looks to create her own sound

NEW YORK — Victoria Justice recently dropped a soundtrack for her hit Nickelodeon series "Victorious," but she's also in the process of developing her own sound as a solo act.

Photograph Caption: FILE - This March 31, 2012 file photo shows singer-actress Victoria Justice arriving at Nickelodeon's 25th Annual Kids' Choice Awards in Los Angeles. Justice released a second soundtrack for her hit Nickelodeon series "Victorious," called "Victorious 2.0."; She co-wrote some of the tracks, which also features her cast mates, and said making music for the show is helping her grow as an artist. JASON REDMOND, FILE - AP Photo
"I want to write music that's going to appeal to everyone," Justice said in a recent interview. "As far as production, I don't think I've quite found my sound yet ... I want to work with producers who are unique and have a different sound."

Justice, 19, says she's unsure when she'll release her own material, but "Victorious 2.0" - the show's second soundtrack - debuted at No. 18 on the Billboard charts this month. Justice co-wrote some of the tracks, which also features her cast mates, and said making music for the show is helping her grow as an artist.

Currently in its third season, "Victorious" airs Saturdays. She said despite the show's young nature, the soundtrack is for all ages.

"It's just not kids' music. A lot of the lyrics are actually smart and sophisticated," she said.

The entertainer said her musical influences range from Britney Spears to Carole King. The teen only had six days off last year, and her schedule will get even busier when she launches her tour Aug. 2 in Costa Mesa, Calif. It wraps up Sept. 14 in Allegan, Mich.

"I want my sound to be different from the music that's been on 'Victorious,'" she said. "I want there to be a distinction between 'Victorious' songs and Victoria Justice songs."

Justice will expand her brand when she appears opposite Chelsea Handler and Johnny Knoxville in the film "Fun Size," the directorial debut by "Gossip Girl" and "The O.C." creator Josh Schwartz.

In the film, Justice's character hopes to attend New York University, but in real life she says she doesn't have plans to go to college.

"To be honest, with you I'm so busy," she said. "I don't have any time to think about college right now. I feel like maybe down the road I might take online college courses in subjects I'm interested in like English and psychology."

The film is in theaters Oct. 26.

---
Related Links Online:

http://www.victoriajustice.net/

http://www.nick.com/shows/victorious/.

Nick Jr. UK Acquires The UK Broadcast Rights To Sixteen South's Brand New Mixed Media Animated Preschool Series "Driftwood Bay"; Set To Premiere In 2013

From C21Media:
Nick Jr plays at Driftwood Bay

UK preschool channel Nick Jr has acquired a new mixed media toon from Belfast-based indie Sixteen South Television.

Driftwood Bay

Production on Driftwood Bay (52x7') is set to begin this summer for delivery in mid 2013.

The acquisition is the latest push into preschool for Viacom-owned Nickelodeon UK. Kids from the age group make up 44% of the territory's viewers, according to local VP of scheduling Tim Patterson.

Driftwood is set on an island that exists in the mind of a little girl. She creates adventures and friendships from the different treasures she finds washed up on beach where she lives.

The show comes from children's artist Joanne Carmichael, who created the characters from items she found outside her beach hut on the Scottish island of Arran.

Sixteen South plans to pitch the series to further potential partners at the Cartoon Forum in Toulouse, France, in September.

Jesse Whittock
09-07-2012
©C21Media

TAGS: Cartoon Forum
GENRES: Animation, Children's
SHOWS: Driftwood Bay
PEOPLE: Joanna Carmichael, Tim Patterson
COMPANIES: Nickelodeon, Sixteen South
SECTIONS: C21 Kids
COUNTRIES: UK
Also, from Kidscreen:
Dispatches from the Children's Media Conference – Day 3

The final day of the Children’s Media Conference (a conference in the UK for everyone involved in developing, producing and distributing content to kids – on all platforms) has come and gone. I am happy, tired, overstimulated and homesick. I miss Mary, Buffy, bagels and Mexican food. I started my day today at a panel sponsored by the good folks at UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) called “Focus on Malaysia.” Having back-packed through Malaysia as a twenty-something, I was eager to attend this session and I must say I was very impressed by the Singapore-style incentives that the Malaysian government is putting in place through its Multimedia Development Corporation, better known as MDec. The session made me want to return to Malaysia this year to visit the many new animation studios that are sprouting up across this country like mushrooms after a rainstorm.

Next up was “Meet The Commissioners: Commercial,” which featured the various buyers and executives from Turner Broadcasting, Disney, CiTV and Nickelodeon. What stood out most during this session was the preponderance of farts and fart jokes that were peppered throughout the show reels [including one featuring a showcase of Nickelodeon's brand new CGI-animated "Teenage Mutant Minja Turtles" series (see photograph above)] of these esteemed broadcasters. If I ever had any doubts about my decision to focus my career on making shows for preschoolers, this panel put those doubts to rest. The bright spot of the session was the announcement that Driftwood Bay, a lovely show from my friends at Sixteen South in Ireland, has been commissioned by Nickelodeon UK.

Nickelodeon UK To Premiere The 'Barbie' Movie "The Barbie Diaries" On Sunday 22nd July 2012

According to the online Nickelodeon UK schedule guide on the official Radio Times website, RadioTimes.com, Nickelodeon UK will be showing the 2006 motion capture 'Barbie' movie called "The Barbie Diaries" on Nickelodeon UK and Ireland and Nickelodeon HD UK on Sunday 22nd July 2012 at 6.00am (repeated from 7.00pm on Nickelodeon UK's plus one (+1) timeshift channel Nick Replay UK).

"The Barbie Diaries" is an animated feature film which is based on, features and stars the popular Mattel character 'Barbie', and follows a teenage Barbie and her best pals as they navigate the perils of self-discovery. At the dawn of a new school year, Barbie wants big changes, and with the aid of her new magic bracelet, things really do start to happen - she starts a band and learns to rock, makes new friends, and even captures the eye of her crush, the most popular boy in school!

Ernest Borgnine, The Voice Of 'Mermaid Man' On The Popular Animated Original Nickelodeon Show "SpongeBob SquarePants", Has Died Aged 95

According to this news article on Variety, the best actor Oscar winning character actor Ernest Borgnine, who, among many of his famous roles, provided the voice of the elderly superhero character 'Mermaid Man' in the popular animated original Nickelodeon television series ("Nicktoon") "SpongeBob SquarePants", sadly passed away of kidney failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, USA on Sunday 8th July 2012 aged 95. You can read a copy of Variety's Ernest Borgnine obituary below:
Ernest Borgnine dies at 95

Won Oscar for 'Marty,' starred in 'McHale's Navy'

Pug-nosed character actor Ernest Borgnine may have had a brief career as a leading man after winning the best actor Oscar for "Marty," but he continued working in films and TV virtually to the end of his life.

The oldest living winner of the actor Oscar died Sunday at 95 of kidney failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Borgnine starred on television as Lt. Commander Quinton McHale on comedy series "McHale's Navy," which ran from 1962-66, and in a feature based on the series in 1964.

Though his popularity as a leading man was brief, and he never matched the quality of his work in "Marty," Borgnine worked consistently and in a wide variety of films, with some 200-odd screen appearances.

He was best as a baddie, which is how he began his career in such films as "Vera Cruz," "Bad Day at Black Rock" and, especially, "From Here to Eternity," where as Sgt. "Fatso" Judson he beat the life out of Frank Sinatra's Pvt. Maggio. After a dry spell reversed by his popular stint on television, he worked in Sam Peckinpah's "The Wild Bunch," "The Dirty Dozen" and "Willard," as well as in the TV adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque's "All Quiet on the Western Front."

Borgnine made his Broadway debut in 1949 in Mary Chase's "Harvey," in which he also toured the country. He appeared abroad in an American production of "Hamlet" as Guildenstern and played one of the leads in "Born Yesterday" in summer stock. In 1952 he had one of the leads in another Chase comedy, "Mrs. McThing," opposite Helen Hayes. That production ran for almost a year.

Borgnine made his film debut in B movie "China Corsair" in 1951, followed by "The Whistle at Eaton Falls" and "The Mob." He quickly became typecast as a heavy due to his girth and strong features.

His big break came in "From Here to Eternity," which went on to win the Academy Award for best picture of 1953. He won the lead in the film version of Paddy Chayevsky's TV play "Marty," which Rod Steiger had done on TV despite director Delbert Mann's reservations that he wasn't "a big enough actor for the part." In the 1955 film version, produced on a low budget by Harold Hecht and Burt Lancaster, Borgnine played an ugly duckling Bronx butcher who finally finds love.

There seemed little hope for the movie, but it won the Palme d'Or at Cannes and went on to win a best actor Oscar for Borgnine, best picture and director Oscars. Chayevsky also won for adapted screenplay. "I remember when they announced, 'Ernest Borgnine is going to play Marty,' a lot of people said, 'Why, he's a killer. He can't play that kind of role.' And they came up and apologized after I won the Academy Award," he told Variety in 2008.

Borgnine was quickly cast in another Chayevsky effort, "The Catered Affair" opposite Bette Davis, and in "Jubal" with Glenn Ford. By 1957, he was back to playing blackguards in "The Vikings" and "The Badlanders." In the late '50s he tried a comeback in low-budget realistic dramas such as "Man on a String" and "Pay or Die" but with no luck.

After "Go Naked in the World," he was off to Europe to work in Italian productions such as "Il re di Poggioreale," Vittoria De Sica's "The Last Judgment" and "Barabbas."

"McHale's Navy" made Borgnine a household name. For the rest of the '60s, his supporting roles were in quality fare such as "Flight of the Phoenix," "The Dirty Dozen," "Ice Station Zebra" and "The Wild Bunch."

There were also dogs like "The Oscar" and "The Legend of Lylah Clare." In the early '70s, the films were not of the same quality and included an oldster-hippie pairing with Davis in "Bunny O'Hare" and opposite Raquel Welch in "Hannie Caulder." The best of the bunch was "The Poseidon Adventure." But it was the last major hit in which Borgnine appeared. He worked in films like "Hustle," "The Black Hole," "The Day the World Ended" and "Escape From New York," with some TV work in between, and did a two-year stint from 1984-86 in the TV series "Airwolf." Borgnine later landed a recurring role from 1995-97 on TV's "The Single Guy" as doorman Manny.

Borgnine worked into his 90s and appeared in films such as "Another Harvest Moon," "Turnaround" and "Spike of Bensonhurst," and became the oldest actor to earn a Golden Globe nom for the Hallmark film "A Grandpa for Christmas." In 2009 he appeared on the final two episodes of "ER" and received an Emmy nom for guest actor in a drama series.

In 2010 he had a sprightly cameo in the Bruce Willis-John Malkovich actioner "Red" as the CIA recordkeeper, and his last screen appearance was the starring role in Elia Petridis' film "The Man Who Shook the Hand of Vicente Fernandez," which is to be released this year.

He also did voice work late in his life for animated fare such as "SpongeBob SquarePants" and "All Dogs Go to Heaven."

Borgnine was born Ermes Effron Borgnino, in Hamden, Conn. His Italian parents took him to Milan to live for the first seven years of his life.

He returned and graduated from high school in New Haven, then worked as a truck driver until enlisting in the U.S. Navy, where he served for 10 years. With his G.I. loan, Borgnine studied at the Randall School of Dramatic Art for a year and from 1946-50 worked at the Barter Theater in Abingdon, Va., doing everything from painting scenery and walk-ons to the occasional lead role.

The actor was the subject of the 1997 documentary "Ernest Borgnine on the Bus," which followed a trip he took around the country.

In 2011, the Screen Actors Guild lauded him with the life achievement award during the 17th SAG Awards.

Borgnine was married five times, most prominently to actress Katy Jurado and, briefly, to Ethel Merman. "If you blinked, you missed it," Merman once said of the 38-day marriage.

Borgnine's fifth wife, the former Tova Newman, was known for a successful line of cosmetic products. In addition to her, he is survived by a daughter, Nancee, by his first wife; son Cristofer, an actor-cinematographer, and daughter Sharon from his fourth marriage; a stepson, David Johnson; six grandchildren; and his sister, Evelyn Verlardi.