News

Exclusive: Halle Stanford, The Jim Henson Company’s longtime President of Television, is relaunching her company, 7 Crow Stories, as she embarks on a new chapter in her career as an independent producer and writer. As part of this new venture, the Emmy winner has signed a first-look producing deal with The Jim Henson Company, where she has worked as a producer and executive for the past 30 years.

Under her 7 Crow Stories banner, Stanford will develop a variety of live-action and animated projects for The Jim Henson Company for preschool, family, and primetime audiences, continuing to prioritize entertaining, impactful, and imaginative content across a wide range of genres. Previously announced projects include the primetime fantasy series Goblins with Norman Reedus, the primetime animated series Lore Olympus, based on Webtoon’s digital comic series, and the older kids’ animated series Adrenaline Lemmings. Currently, Stanford is also attached to develop a future production of Fraggle Rock.

The Jim Henson Company has optioned Susan Dennard’s bestselling The Witchlands books to develop as a live-action television series. The announcement was made today during a Dragon Con panel led by Dennard and Halle Stanford, President of Television for The Jim Henson Company.

The potential series is set in a world where three empires rule and every member of the population is born with a magical skill set, known as a “witchery”. Now, as the Twenty- Year Truce in a centuries-long war is about to come to an end, the balance of power will fall on the shoulders of two young women Safiya and Iseult, who must accept their fate, and themselves, to survive.

Lisa Henson, CEO and President of The Jim Henson Company and Stanford will serve as executive producers for the project. Dennard will serve as co-executive producer. The Emmy Award-winning Jim Henson’s Creature Shop will...

Earlier this week, Netflix channeled the magic of ’80s nostalgia by announcing a new prequel series to The Dark Crystal, and now McFarlane Toys will also help bring Jim Henson's magical worlds to life by releasing official figures based on characters from Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal, including a figure of David Bowie's Goblin King, Jareth, which is teased in a new image ahead of its November release.

Press Release: Tempe, Az and Hollywood, CA - May 19, 2017 –The Jim Henson Company has partnered with McFarlane Toys, which will harken back to its roots of “Movie Maniacs” to create figures of classic characters from two of Henson’s most well-known features Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal.

Directed by visionary Jim Henson and executive produced by George Lucas, Labyrinth is a fanboy favorite and wonder of puppetry. Stuck babysitting her brother, teenager Sarah, resentfully wishes The Goblin King (memorably portrayed...

We haven't seen the last of Skeksis' wrath, as Netflix has announced the new series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. A collaboration with The Jim Henson Company, the ten-episode series is a prequel to Henson's beloved 1982 film and is teased in its first trailer.

Press Release: Hollywood, CA (May 18, 2017) - A beloved classic from the 80s marks its return as Netflix, the world’s leading internet entertainment network, will bring The Jim Henson Company’s The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance exclusively to members around the world. The 10-episode fantasy adventure series is a prequel to the groundbreaking 1982 fan favorite The Dark Crystal, and takes place many years before the events of the film. The series will be shot in the U.K., and will star an ensemble of fantastical, state-of-the-art creatures created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop™ and Brian Froud[/link], the original feature’s conceptual designer.

A beloved classic from the 80s marks its return as Netflix, the world's leading internet entertainment network, will bring The Jim Henson Company's Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance exclusively to members around the world. The 10-episode fantasy adventure series is a prequel to the groundbreaking 1982 fan favorite The Dark Crystal, and takes place many years before the events of the film. The series will be shot in the U.K., and will star an ensemble of fantastical, state-of-the-art creatures created by Jim Henson's Creature Shop and Brian Froud[/link], the original feature's conceptual designer.

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance returns to the world of Thra with an all new adventure. When three Gelfling discover the horrifying secret behind the Skeksis' power, they set out on an epic journey to ignite the fires of rebellion and save their world.

Feature film director Louis Leterrier (Now You See Me, The Incredible Hulk...

Hulu has announced the new titles that will be available to stream on the platform during the month of April. Leading the pack is the new original series “The Handmaid’s Tale,” based on Margaret Atwood’s classic novel of the same name and starring Elisabeth Moss. The series premieres April 26.

Read More: ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Trailer: New Teaser Reminds Us Elisabeth Moss’ Story Is Ours

Also available to stream next month are a handful of modern classics, such as “Robocop,” “Days of Thunder,” “Thelma & Louise,” “The Usual Suspects,” “Election,” “JFK,” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” as well as indie favorites like “Short Term 12,” “The Babadook,” “In a World,” and “Hello, My Name is Doris.”

Find the list of all titles coming to Hulu in April below.

April 1

1408 (2007) (*Showtime)

A Horse Tale (2015)

Agent Cody Banks (2003)

Affliction (1998)

Almost Famous (2000)

America’s Sweethearts (2001) (*Showtime)

Bad Company (1995) (*Showtime)

Bangkok Dangerous (2008) (*Showtime...

The Centers for Disease Control is negotiating a near-million dollar deal with The Jim Henson Company to produce a cartoon featuring Sid the Science Kid ... warning preschoolers about Zika. The Cdc has filed legal docs stating its intention to make a deal with the famous Muppet company to produce an educational cartoon that dishes mosquito bite prevention methods to kids and their families. According to the docs -- obtained by TMZ -- the Cdc makes...

It’s almost October and that means Netflix is about to refresh their content with some new titles and by removing some others. Some of the notable titles leaving include: The Big Lebowski and A Nightmare on Elm Street. So if you haven’t seen some of these titles, plan your nights accordingly. We of course can look forward more than a few new titles including Boogie Nights, Batman Begins and Curse of Chucky for your Halloween needs.

All Title Dates are Subject to Change

Netflix U.S. Release Dates Only

Available 10/1

A Christmas Carol (1938)

About Alex (2014)

Alexander: Theatrical Cut (2004)

American Pie (1999)

Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics Collection: Collection 1

Batman Begins (2005)

Boogie Nights (1997)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

Curse of Chucky (2013)

Dark Was the Night (2014)

Design on a Dime Collection: Collection 1

El Tiempo Entre Costuras (2013)

Extreme Homes Collection: Collection 1

Fixer Upper: Season 1

Genevieve’s Renovation: Season 1

Glass Chin (2014)

House...

For years, Jim Henson’s Creature Shop has given life to the iconic puppets and creatures in your favorite children’s shows (Sesame Street), sci-fi/fantasy movies (Labyrinth), and other endlessly-rewound projects (basically, anything with the Muppets).

As Chairman of the Henson Company, Brian Henson (son of Jim and Jane Henson) has worked on his share of famous creatures — and as the head judge on Syfy’s new reality series Jim Henson’s Creature Shop Challenge (Tuesdays at 10 pm), Henson is hoping that fans will relish a weekly peek behind the curtain of one of Hollywood’s most fascinating processes.

Press Release:

Syfy Greenlights Jim Henson’S Creature Shop Challenge (working title) From The Jim Henson Company, Showcasing The Creation Of Elaborate And Awe-inspiring Life-like Characters Brian Henson To Judge New Reality-competition Series Coming To Syfy In 2014

New York – October 8, 2013 – Syfy greenlights an eight episode order for Jim Henson’s Creature Shop Challenge (working title), a competition series featuring ten aspiring creature creators competing to out-imagine one another in a series of challenges where they will build everything from mechanical characters to whimsical beasts, bringing high-end inanimate creature designs to life. The contestants compete for $100,000 and the opportunity for the job of a lifetime – a contract working at the world-renowned Jim Henson’s Creature Shop™. The announcement was made today by Mark Stern, President of Original Content, Syfy.

Brian Henson serves as lead judge on the series. Henson is the Chairman of The Jim Henson Company and the Creature Shop.

Wpbt 2.1, a local PBS station in Miami, can be easily viewed on FilmOn.com. Wpbt is one of the several PBS channels in the Miami-Palm Beach-Broward areas, and if you love PBS programming like me, you might love the ability to watch your favorite programming online through FilmOn. Some of the programs you’ll be able to view on Wpbt includes children’s entertainment like “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” “Sid the Science Kid,” “The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!” and “WordWorld.” Other shows available for viewing includes news and opinion shows such as “Tavis Smiley Reports,” cooking shows such as “Gourmet Light,” and arts and crafts shows like “The [ Read More ]

The post Watch Wpbt 2.1 On FilmOn appeared first on Shockya.com.

Feature Andrew Blair 28 Aug 2013 - 07:23

Andrew reports back on Brian Henson's session at the Edinburgh International Television Festival, on the evolution of puppetry...

That Puppet Game Show is the unlikely combination of B-list celebrities and new creations from the Jim Henson Company. Brian Henson, director of modern classic The Muppet Christmas Carol and 'How to Introduce the Unique Stylings of Tim Curry to children' (aka Muppet Treasure Island), is a puppeteer on the show, and as such was around to give a presentation at the Edinburgh TV Festival about the history of his father's creations.

So, first of all, Brian Henson was in the room. This was very exciting. I mean, he's Brian Henson. The guy Exec-Produced Farscape.

Starting with a rare clip from a 1956 episode of Sam and Friends (featuring a pre-recorded back projection and the then non-gender-or-species specific Kermit puppet), Brian Henson documented his father's approach...

The No. 1 cable company will flood its on-demand menu with children’s shows in July — part of an effort to demonstrate to parents that they don’t have to buy a streaming service from Netflix or Amazon to find programming that will keep kids occupied in front of the TV or a mobile device. The “Summer Of Kids” plan follows Comcast’s “Watchathon” event in March that highlighted the virtues of on-demand. In the new campaign, Comcast says it will offer content from “every major kids network and brand,” including more than 1,000 downloadable TV shows and films. In conjunction with the “Summer Of Kids” campaign, Comcast is introducing guides in collaboration with Common Sense Media to help families find age-appropriate fare. That should give parents “ultimate peace of mind for safer, smarter viewing across devices,” says Comcast Cable’s programming VP Maggie Suniewick. For the last two weeks of July...

Halle Stanford, Executive Producer and Executive Vice President of Children’s Entertainment at the Jim Henson Company (which produced the Amazon original pilot, Teeny Tiny Dogs), shares the key to family happiness: the oxygen mask.

As a mother of two boys (a teen and a toddler) and owner of two small dogs, I grab those “Mommy Moments” whenever I can find them. You know, hiding in my bathroom for 15 minutes with the latest Game of Thrones book (“Mommy has to go potty. I’ll be riiiight back!”). Mommy Moments make me one happy momma.

I learned this happy parent lesson years ago when I was going through a difficult divorce, and was worried about the happiness of my son. A wise friend told me, “You know what Rabbi Airplane says? Put your oxygen mask on before your kids. Your son will be happy if you are happy.” And lo, my pal was right.

The canines are small, but the legacy is huge – Teeny Tiny Dogs is an Amazon Studios pilot from the Jim Henson Company (and created by Howard Baker of Rugrats fame). “Our company has had a long history of creating great dog characters and we knew that we could bring Howard’s vision to life in a fun, meaningful way with our Henson style of puppets,” said Jim Henson Company CEO Lisa Henson.

Teeny Tiny Dogs is one of 14 Amazon original pilots now playing for free at Amazon Instant Video and LOVEFiLM. Viewer response will help determine which of these shows return with full seasons.

We asked Lisa Henson about the show, what she would every parent and child to know about it, and her inspirations.

Describe Teeny Tiny Dogs …

Teeny Tiny Dogs follows four dogs - Butch, Butterfly, Dinky and Polly - as they help one another navigate the big world despite their teeny,...

AmazonStudios is taking a more unusual approach by letting viewers decide what they want to keep watching. The company has kicked off its screening process this weekend by unveiling its inaugural slate of 14 pilots — eight comedies and six kids shows, all made available for free on AmazonInstant Video, LoveFilm UK and LoveFilm Germany. Viewers are being invited to watch the pilots and Amazon is welcoming feedback from its audience. According to Deadline, the company will evaluate feedback from an online panel recruited on Amazon preview as well as traditional offline focus groups to decide if they greenlight a series or not. The highest-profile series is Zombieland, but the two that look most interesting are Alpha House, starring John Goodman with cameos by Bill Murray and Stephen Colbert; and Onion News Empire. Amazon has not yet decided how many of the shows will make the cut, nor when they will premiere.

LOVEFiLM have revealed that the service will host 11 original TV series test pilots for members to stream for free. The never-seen-before children’s and comedy content is being produced by Amazon Studios – the original film and series production arm of Amazon.com.

LOVEFiLM members in the UK and Germany will be able to watch the content and viewer response will then help determine which series Amazon Studios take into full-season production. The move follows the announcement of Amazon Studios’ first pilot production commitment last December which gave six original comedy shows the green light. It brings the total number of Amazon Studios pilots currently in production to 11.

The eleven pilots include:

Creative Galaxy – Creative Galaxy is an animated interactive art adventure series, designed to inspire kids’ creative thinking through crafts, story, music and dance. The series was created by Angela Santomero, creator of Super Why!, the Emmy-nominated literacy series, Blue...

Amazon Studios is staying on track with the original programming strategy it laid out last spring, which involved the development and launch of comedy and children’s series. The original movie and series production arm of Amazon.com this morning gave green light to five children’s pilots from auspices who have worked on such kids series as Blue’s Clues, Sid the Science Kid and Dino Dan. The announcement was made by Amazon Studios director Roy Price who comes from kids animation background. The pilots vary in genre from animation to stop-animation and live-action. They join the six comedy pilots Amazon Studios ordered in December. Once completed, all 11 pilots will be posted on Amazon Instant Video, Prime Instant Video, Lovefilm UK and Lovefilm Germany for Amazon customers to watch for free. Viewer feedback will help determine which of them will go to series. Here are details about the children...

And that's a wrap!

At the 2012 Daytime Emmy Awards, Regis Philbin, Kelly Ripa and the cast of "General Hospital" weren't the only ones celebrating their big wins.

With ABC scoring 56 nominations and PBS nabbing 51, it was a big night for networks and viewers everywhere. Check out the list below for the winners of Saturday night's awards show.

Outstanding Drama Series

Winner:"General Hospital," ABC

"All My Children," ABC

"Days of Our Lives," NBC

"The Young and the Restless," CBS

Outstanding Children's Animated Program

Winner: "Penguins of Madagascar," Nickelodeon

"Curious George," PBS

"Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness," Nickelodeon

"Peep & The Big Wide World," PBS

"Sid the Science Kid," PBS

"SpongeBob SquarePants," Nickelodeon

Outstanding Culinary Program

Winner:"Bobby Flay's Barbecue Addiction," Food Network

"Giada At Home," Food Network

"Guy's Big Bite," Food Network

"Sandwich King," Food Network

Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show'

Winner: "Jeopardy!," Syndicated

"BrainSurge," Nickelodeon

"Cash Cab," Discovery Channel

"Let's Make A Deal,...

The full list of winners at the 39th Daytime Entertainment Emmy Awards, announced in Los Angeles on June 23, is as follows: Outstanding Drama Series

All My Children (ABC)

Days of Our Lives (NBC)

General Hospital (ABC) - Winner

The Young and the Restless (CBS) Outstanding Children's Animated Program

Curious George (PBS)

Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness (Nickelodeon)

Peep & The Big Wide World (American Public Television)

Penguins of Madagscar (Nickelodeon) - Winner

Sid the Science Kid (PBS)

SpongeBob SquarePants (NIckelodeon) Outstanding Children's Series

Biz Kid$$ (PBS)

Born to Explore with Richard Wiese (Syndicated)

The Electric Company (PBS) - Winner (Tie)

Everyday Health (Syndicated)

Jack Hanna's Into the Wild (Syndicated) - Winner (Tie) Outstanding Commercial

Just Dance 3/Jersey Shore (MTV)

MiO/The (more)...

And that's a wrap!

At the 2012 Daytime Emmy Awards, Regis Philbin, Kelly Ripa and the cast of "General Hospital" weren't the only ones celebrating their big wins.

With ABC scoring 56 nominations and PBS nabbing 51, it was a big night for networks and viewers everywhere. Check out the list below for the winners of Saturday night's awards show.

Outstanding Drama Series

Winner:"General Hospital," ABC

"All My Children," ABC

"Days of Our Lives," NBC

"The Young and the Restless," CBS

Outstanding Children's Animated Program

Winner: "Penguins of Madagascar," Nickelodeon

"Curious George," PBS

"Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness," Nickelodeon

"Peep & The Big Wide World," PBS

"Sid the Science Kid," PBS

"SpongeBob SquarePants," Nickelodeon

Outstanding Culinary Program

Winner:"Bobby Flay's Barbecue Addiction," Food Network

"Giada At Home," Food Network

"Guy's Big Bite," Food Network

"Sandwich King," Food Network

Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show'

Winner: "Jeopardy!," Syndicated

"BrainSurge," Nickelodeon

"Cash Cab," Discovery Channel

"Let's Make A Deal,...

While we’re pleased to see the Jim Henson Company continuing to expand its filmmaking horizons, the team’s latest announcement does have us worrying whether Kermit – heretofore the company’s most famous amphibian actor – will throw a diva fit at the news. Because the new Henson project is an adaptation of children’s books series Frog And Toad. Originally written and illustrated by Arnold Lobel in the 1970s, the books chronicle the exploits of a pair of web-footed friends who are, less-than-shockingly, a frog and a toad. The book’s tales are easy-to-comprehend slice-of-life stories, with the pair flying a kite, cleaning a house and arguing about the shortcomings of string theory. All right, maybe not the last one.Craig Bartlett, a man no stranger to writing for a younger audience (he’s worked on Us kids’ shows such as Dinosaur Train, Sid The Science Kid and Hey Arnold!

Guillermo Del Toro will co-direct “Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio” with Mark Gustafson (Animation Director on The Fantastic Mr. Fox). The Jim Henson Company production will be a 3D stop-motion animated version of Pinocchio based on the edition of Carlo Collodi’s classic tale illustrated by Gris Grimly. Inferno will represent the property to international buyers at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.

Del Toro most recently served as executive producer of DreamWorks’ “Puss in Boots,” “Kung Fu Panda2″ and the upcoming “Rise of the Guardians” as well as creative consultant on “Megamind.” “Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio” marks his first turn helming an animated feature.

With a story by Del Toro, his frequent collaborator Matthew Robbins, and Gris Grimly, “Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio” is a retelling of one of the world’s best-loved tales. The puppet Pinocchio embarks on a series of extraordinary and thrilling adventures, proving himself to...

It has been officially announced that Guillermo del Toro will co-direct a 3d stop-motion animated version of Pinocchio for The Jim Henson Company:

“Hollywood, Calif., May 10, 2012 — Guillermo Del Toro will co-direct “Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio” with Mark Gustafson (Animation Director on The Fantastic Mr. Fox). The Jim Henson Company production will be a 3D stop-motion animated version of Pinocchio based on the edition of Carlo Collodi’s classic tale illustrated by Gris Grimly. Inferno will represent the property to international buyers at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.

Del Toro most recently served as executive producer of DreamWorks’ “Puss in Boots,” “Kung Fu Panda 2″ and the upcoming “Rise of the Guardians” as well as creative consultant on “Megamind.” “Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio” marks his first turn helming an animated feature.

With a story by Del Toro, his frequent collaborator Matthew Robbins, and Gris Grimly, “Guillermo Del Toro’s...

It's the last hurrah for "All My Children" and "One Life to Live" at the Daytime Emmy Awards. The canceled soaps got their last nominations in key categories, but face stiff competition from fellow ABC soap "General Hospital."

ABC picked up a total of 56 nominations with PBS closing in behind with 51. "General Hospital," which will live to see its 50th anniversary, received 23 nominations. "All My Children" and "One Life to Live" each picked up 11.

Check out some key categories below to see if your favorite soap stars and talk shows made the cut.

The 39th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be held Sat., June 23.

Outstanding Drama Series

"All My Children," ABC

"Days of Our Lives," NBC

"General Hospital," ABC

"The Young and the Restless," CBS

Outstanding Children's Animated Program

"Curious George," PBS

"Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness," Nickelodeon

"Peep & The Big Wide World," PBS

"Penguins of Madagascar," Nickelodeon

"Sid the Science Kid,...

It's the last hurrah for "All My Children" and "One Life to Live" at the Daytime Emmy Awards. The canceled soaps got their last nominations in key categories, but face stiff competition from fellow ABC soap "General Hospital."

ABC picked up a total of 56 nominations with PBS closing in behind with 51. "General Hospital," which will live to see its 50th anniversary, received 23 nominations. "All My Children" and "One Life to Live" each picked up 11.

Check out some key categories below to see if your favorite soap stars and talk shows made the cut.

The 39th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be held Sat., June 23.

Outstanding Drama Series

"All My Children," ABC

"Days of Our Lives," NBC

"General Hospital," ABC

"The Young and the Restless," CBS

Outstanding Children's Animated Program

"Curious George," PBS

"Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness," Nickelodeon

"Peep & The Big Wide World," PBS

"Penguins of Madagascar," Nickelodeon

"Sid the Science Kid,...

ABC’s General Hospital leads the way with 23 nominations for Daytime Emmy Awards.

The television academy announced Wednesday that the venerable soap opera will compete with NBC’s Days of Our Lives, CBS’ The Young and the Restless and the canceled All My Children of ABC for best daytime drama. NBC’s The Bold and the Beautiful has won the trophy three years in a row but wasn’t nominated this year.

Other repeat winners are possible, though: Ben Bailey of Cash Cab was nominated for best game show host and Dr. Mehmet Oz as best talk show host.

Sesame Street...

The off-Broadway musical ImaginOcean is getting the series treatment from the Jim Henson Co, which is developing a musical underwater adventure series based on the John Tartaglia stage production. Henson, whose latest kids series include Sid The Science Kid, Dinosaur Train and Pajanimals, plans meet with potential co-production partners at the upcoming Miptv confab, set to begin next week. For ImaginOcean, the company’s Henson Digital Puppetry Studio will animate young fish Dorsal and his pals as they navigate a vibrant underwater world in stories full of comedy, friendship and music. Lisa Henson and Halle Stanford will executive produce for Henson, with Tartaglia, Jill Shinderman and Michael Shawn Lewis exec producing for Jellyfish Jive Prods.

"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" triumphed at the 26th Genesis Awards. The fantastic prequel took home the Outstanding Feature Film of the year "for its examination of the ethics of using chimpanzees in medical research."

"Born to Be Wild 3D" won the Feature Documentary prize for celebrating the folks behind the rehabilitation of baby elephants and orangutans orphaned by poaching. (Check out my fun interviews with narrator Morgan Freeman and the rest of the heroes behind "Born to Be Wild" right here)

The 26th Genesis Awards was hosted by "Dancing with the Stars'" Carrie Ann Inaba. Even Uggie, the scene-stealing terrier from the Oscar-winning "The Artist" made an appearance.

Here's the complete list of winners of the 26th Genesis Awards (The event will be shown as a one-hour special on Animal Planet on May 5):

Feature Film

Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes

Twentieth Century Fox...

Los Angeles, (March 25, 2012) — Rise of the Planet of the Apes triumphed, The Colbert Report’s satire hit the right comedic note, and Ellen DeGeneres outshone her talk show rivals to be among the 22 major wins at The Humane Society of the United States’ 26th Genesis Awards. Honoring the news and entertainment media for raising public awareness of animal issues, this year’s awards were presented at a gala ceremony on Saturday, March 24, at The Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills, Calif. The event will premiere as a one-hour special on Animal Planet on May 5, with an encore presentation May 6. The 26th Genesis Awards Winners Feature Film Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes Twentieth Century Fox/ Chernin Entertainment Feature Documentary Born To Be Wild 3D Warner Bros. Pictures, IMAX Corporation Sid Caesar Comedy Award The Colbert Report – Comedy Central Dramatic Series Hawaii Five-0 – “Lapa’au” – CBS Children’S Programming Teen Nick News...

The Genesis Awards come from the the Humane Society of the United States and honor news and entertainment media for outstanding reporting and creative portrayals of animal protection issues in 19 categories. The ceremony is set for March 24 at the Beverly Hilton and will air in May as a one-hour special on Animal Planet. Here are the nominees unveiled this morning: Feature Film Dolphin Tale Alcon Entertainment Rio Twentieth Century Fox/Blue Sky Studios Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes Twentieth Century Fox/Chernin Entertainment War Horse DreamWorks Skg Feature Documentary Born To Be Wild 3D Warner Bros. Pictures, IMAX Corporation Buck Sundance Selects, Cedar Creek Productions One Lucky Elephant Crossover Productions, Sandbar Pictures Sid Caesar Comedy Award The Cleveland Show Ain’t Nothin’ But Mutton Bustin’ Fox The Colbert Report multiple issues Comedy Central Melissa & Joey Toledo’s Next Top Model ABC Family Dramatic Series The Glades Swamp Thing...

Chicago – It doesn’t take a child psychologist to figure out why British author Julia Donaldson’s 1999 book “The Gruffalo” has become a hit with families around the globe. It gives parents ample opportunities to portray various animal voices, while kids can take part in reciting the multiple catchy refrains. Best of all, Donaldson centers her tale on a tiny hero who uses his brains to outwit hulking predators.

Clocking in at a slim 25 minutes, Max Lang and Jakob Schuh’s Oscar-nominated animated adaptation has been hailed in some quarters as a family classic. I don’t think the film is nearly substantial enough to deserve such acclaim, though that’s not because of its limited running time. Several short films left an enduring mark on my childhood. I’ll always cherish the artistic exuberance of Stephan Martinière’s “Madeline,” the Broadway-worthy songs of Michael Sporn’s “Lyle Lyle the Crocodile,...

The list of nominees in the major categories at the 38th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, to be held on June 17, is as follows: Outstanding Drama Series

All My Children (ABC)

The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS)

General Hospital (ABC)

The Young and the Restless (CBS) Outstanding Children's Animated Program

The Backyardigans (Nickelodeon)

Curious George (PBS)

Dinosaur Train (PBS)

Penguins of Madagascar (Nickelodeon)

Sid the Science Kid (PBS) Outstanding Children's Series

The Electric Company (PBS)

Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman (PBS)

Jack Hanna's Into the Wild (Syndicated)

SciGirls (PBS) Outstanding Culinary Program

America's Test Kitchen (PBS)

Avec Eric (PBS)

Cook's Country (PBS)

Lidia's Italy (PBS)

Paula's Best Dishes (Food Network)

Secrets of a Restaurant Chef (Food Network) Outstanding (more)...

Filed under: Features, TV News

Welcome to the Family TV Roundup, a recap of all kid-friendly programming across the television universe. We'll sum up all the news related to children's programming, as well as profile the people and shows your kids, tweens and teens are talking about.

'Sid the Science Kid,' the PBS Kids show produced by the Jim Henson Company, will be celebrating the upcoming Earth Day with not one, but four new episodes with themes related to the environment. Running April 18-21 (check local listings for times), the CGI-animated episodes will focus on questions such as what happens to dirty water when it goes down the drain, how pollution affects the air we breathe, what recycling means and how animal habitats can be found almost anywhere.

 

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"As the World Turns" took home some hardware in its penultimate Daytime Emmy ceremony. Michael Park and Maura West took home Outstanding Lead Actor and Actress, which was his first win and her second. "Atwt" also took home Outstanding Supporting Actress for Julie Pinson (pictured).

Here is the full list of winners:

Outstanding Drama Series

"All My Children"

"The Bold and The Beautiful"

"General Hospital"

"The Young and the Restless"

Outstanding Lead Actor

Peter Bergman as Jack Abbott on "The Young and the Restless"

Doug Davidson as Paul Williams on "The Young and the Restless"

Jon Lindstrom as Craig Montgomery on "As the World Turns"

Michael Park as Jack Snyder on "As the World Turns"

James Scott as E.J. Dimera on "Days of Our Lives"

Outstanding Lead Actress

Sarah Brown as Claudia Zacchara on "General Hospital"

Crystal Chappell as Olivia Spencer on "Guiding Light"

Bobbie Eakes as Krystal Carey...

According to a press release from The Henson Company, a 3D sequel to 1982’s The Dark Crystal, entitled The Power of the Dark Crystal is very much alive and has just added directing duo Peter Spierig and Michael Spierig (Daybreakers). The Spierig Brothers will direct a screenplay written by Australian Craig Pearce (Moulin Rouge!, Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet) based on an original script by Annette Duffy and David Odell

Check the press release below for more details.

Omnilab Media And The Jim Henson Company Join Forces To Launch The Australian Feature Production Of The Highly Anticipated Power Of The Dark Crystal

Sequel to Henson classic film “The Dark Crystal” to be financed and produced by Omnilab Media in Australia and executive produced by The Jim Henson Company.

3D, live action, visual effects film to be one of the largest Australian productions ever.

Hollywood, CA May 04, 2010 – In a joint announcement by...

One might say that G. Charles Wright has spent his whole life preparing for a job in casting. "All my childhood was spent in front of a television instead of playing outdoors or doing homework," he says with a chuckle. He currently works on the hit TV show "The Middle," starring Patricia Heaton and Neil Flynn, and teaches a popular auditioning class in Los Angeles. Other credits include "That '70s Show," PBS's "Sid the Science Kid," and numerous pilots and Web shows.Career PathI started the way most casting directors start, which is accidentally—it really seems to be an accidental profession for people. I was an actor and I supported myself during the day working in the software industry. The company I worked for got bought, and it triggered a stock plan I was in, so I took some money and ran. I thought, "Maybe I want to become a TV writer.

This week marks PBS Kids Go! and The Jim Henson Company's exclusive online launch of the comedy digital puppet series Wilson & Ditch: Digging America. The series was created by Joe Purdy (story editor/Dinosaur Train, Sid The Science Kid) and Craig Bartlett (creator/Dinosaur Train, Hey Arnold), and produced by The Jim Henson Company. Targeted to K6-10, Wilson & Ditch: Digging America takes viewers on a cross-country adventure with two gopher brothers (performed by Brian Henson and Paul Rugg), learning about American culture, history and geography along the way. In addition to the webisodes, Wilson & Ditch also features interactive games, original comics a travel blog, online location audio podcasts, and downloadable activities from Wilson and Ditch's adventures.

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Viasat has inked for the exclusive free TV rights for "NCIS: Los Angeles," the spinoff of "NCIS" from CBS Studios International. Viasat will air the new series during spring 2010 on its terrestrial stations -- TV3 in Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Viasat also is the current license holder of the original "NCIS" series, which continues to perform well across Scandinavia. Viasat and CBS also renewed a multiple-year licensing deal which includes "Dr. Phil" and "America's Next Top Model." The Scandi service also unveiled the launch of its TV1000 Russian Kino movie channel in Los Angeles on Time Warner Cable, following a similar deal for the New York City area with the same Mso in February.

BBC Worldwide Channels unveiled in Cannes a commission for a live-action children's series "Penelope K, By the Way," its first-ever original production for the international CBeebies channel. Set to debut on CBeebies in Australia next year,...

PBS Kids Go unveils plans at TCA to launch the new series Wilson & Ditch: Digging America exclusively online at www.pbskidsgo.org this fall. Produced by The Jim Henson Company and targeted to K6-10 the series follows two humorous gopher brothers learning about American culture, history and geography make their way to famous and less so destinations across the country in their green-powered van. The series also features interactive games, original comics as well as blogs and podcasts featuring Wilson and Ditch. Created by Joe Purdy (story editor/Dinosaur Train, Sid The Science Kid) and Craig Bartlett (creator/Dinosaur Train, Hey Arnold), Purdy will pen the website content, with Bartlett directing the animated segments creating the site's comic strip material.

http://enews.cynopsis.com/html.asp?XZY1853994UTF60...

Jim Henson's Creature Shop has produced 40 half-hour episodes of "Sid the Science Kid," all created using the company's new Digital Puppetry Studio.

The mostly CG series debuts Monday on PBS. The system provides immediate real-time performance of CG characters.

The heart of the process is Henson's Puppeteering Control System, a sort of puppet motion-capture system. The performances are captured on stage and applied to previously designed CG characters and environments in real time. Therefore, as if a live-action shoot, the CG shots come together in real time. The only post is some finessing, such as adding shadows.

"For 'Sid,' we had five characters at the same time and four virtual cameras capturing the images, all in real time," said Kerry Shea, head of digital production. "It's the speed and efficiency that makes it unique. Directing occurs as if it were a live-action sitcom."

Added digital effects supervisor Steffen Wild,...