April 18, 2008

THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY AND EXODUS FILM GROUP LAUNCH "IGOR" AT NEW YORK COMIC–CON 2008
"Igor" Trailer Set To Make Its Worldwide Debut

Panel Discussion featuring the film’s director and writer to Take Place on Sunday April 20th at 2pm
"Be An Igor" Contest Announced Inviting Fans to be Part of the Film

The Weinstein Company and Exodus Film Group announced today that they will launch the highly anticipated animated adventure “Igor” at New York Comic–Con with the worldwide debut of its trailer, a panel discussion and an innovative contest giving fans the opportunity to appear in the film. The launch will kick-off with the unveiling of the trailer on April 20th at 2pm at the Jacob Javits Center 's IGN Theater located at 66 West 34th Street . Following the trailer premiere, a panel discussion will take place featuring a Q&A session with the filmmakers; award-winning director, Tony Leondis (“Lilo & Stitch 2”) and writer Chris McKenna (“American Dad”). The panel will be followed by an exclusive autographing session. In addition, fans and audiences looking to find their inner "Igor" can enter the “Be an Igor” contest at www.beanigor.com. The winner will have their voice featured in the film.

“Igor” will be released in fall of 2008 and is an Exodus Film Group and Weinstein presentation theatrically distributed by Metro Goldwyn-Mayer Studios.

Harvey Weinstein, co-chairman of The Weinstein Company said: “Comic–Con is one of the most dynamic festivals around and is the perfect place to introduce ‘Igor’ to loyal and passionate fans of high-quality animated adventures.”

"Comic–Con will provide the ideal venue for fans and audiences to get their first glimpse at ‘Igor,’ said, John D. Eraklis, Exodus Founder/CEO and producer on the film. "With an already enthusiastic following, I am looking forward to the audience interaction as they meet the creators and gain first-hand insight into the making of this one-of-a-kind feature."

President of Exodus, Max Howard is producing the film and Jean-Luc De Fanti is executive producing. Eric Robinson, Senior Vice President, Production and Development, is overseeing on behalf of The Weinstein Company.

In just two years, The Weinstein Company has built a diverse slate of animated features including "Opus," "Cricket in Times Square ," and "Hood vs. Evil," the sequel to "Hoodwinked." These projects along with “Igor,” build off of TWC’s success with animated films led by “Hoodwinked” which grossed over $110 million worldwide and “TMNT,” which grossed over $95 million worldwide.

A playfully irreverent animated comedy which brings a new twist to the classic monster genre, “Igor” is the story of a mad scientist’s hunchbacked lab assistant who has big dreams of becoming a scientist in his own right and winning the coveted first place award at the annual Evil Science Fair in the kingdom of Malaria .

The stellar cast lending their voices includes Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, Jennifer Coolidge, Arsenio Hall, Sean Hayes, Eddie Izzard, Jay Leno, James Lipton, Molly Shannon, Christian Slater and John Cusack, as ‘Igor.’

ABOUT THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY
The Weinstein Company (TWC) was created by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films Corporation in 1979. TWC is a multi-media company that officially launched on October 1, 2005. Dimension Films, the genre label that was founded in 1993 by Bob Weinstein, is also included under the TWC banner.

During the Weinsteins’ tenure at Miramax Films the company released some of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful independent feature films which received 249 Academy Award® nominations and won 60 Oscars®, have generated billions of dollars in worldwide box office receipts and billions more in home video sales. In its history, Dimension Films has released some of the most successful franchises including “Scream,” “Spy Kids” and “Scary Movie.”

ABOUT EXODUS FILM GROUP
Exodus Film Group is an independent production company based in Venice Beach , California , with satellite offices in New York and Paris . The company develops a wide range of projects for all media outlets in both live action and animation. Exodus has taken pioneering steps in the animation field by creating one of the first private equity animation film funds. The company has entered into a long term strategic alliance with The Weinstein Company to jointly develop, produce, finance, and distribute a multi-picture slate of CG-animated feature films, DVDs, and television series. In addition, to "Igor," upcoming films by Exodus include, "The Hero of Color City," and Jim Rygiel’s directorial debut, "Bunyan & Babe."

Igor Adapated To Comic Book
Aug 3, 2007 - 8:30:13 AM

Exodus Film Group announced today a comic book deal with IDW Publishing for Exodus' CG-animated feature film “Igor.” The publishing program for “Igor” will include a series of full color prequel titles leading up to another series of books taking fans through the film and beyond. These will be followed by a full-color paperback, collecting each miniseries.

“Our newest licensing partner, IDW, has a long standing record of adapting and creating terrific comic books based on entertainment properties,” said Bruce Auerbach, Exodus President of Consumer Products. “We're looking forward to their creative execution on the visually rich film we are producing.”

“IDW has built a name for itself by producing good horror comics and good licensed comics,” said IDW's Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, Chris Ryall. “The chance to combine the two in the form of a clever and fun idea like 'Igor' is a perfect convergence of genres and will also appeal to younger readers.”

“Igor” is a playfully irreverent comedy that brings a new twist to the classic monster genre. In a world filled with Mad Scientists and Evil Inventions, one talented evil scientist's hunch-backed lab assistant has big dreams of becoming a Mad Scientist himself and winning the annual Evil Science Fair. The stellar voice cast includes Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, Jennifer Coolidge, John Cusack, Arsenio Hall, Sean Hayes, Eddie Izzard, Jay Leno, Molly Shannon, and Christian Slater. The Weinstein Company is handling worldwide distribution for the film, which is set for a wide theatrical release on October 24, 2008.

Recent “Igor” consumer products deals include a master license for toys and collectables with Corgi International and a major publishing deal with award-winning global leader Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division. Corgi will release a wide range of products including action figures, play sets, electronic role-play games, pocket money toys, vinyl figures, plush, statues, busts and other associated products. Simon & Schuster plans seven “Igor” books, which will be published under their Simon Scribbles and Simon Spotlight imprints.

Award-winning animation writer, Tony Leondis, is directing the screenplay by Chris McKenna. Exodus CEO John D. Eraklis is producing with Exodus President Max Howard executive producing and Jean-Luc De Fanti producing on behalf of Exodus Productions in Paris. Eric Robinson, Vice President of Production and Development, is overseeing on behalf of The Weinstein Company.

 

Mon., Sep. 6, 2004, 10:00pm PT

Toon exec sparks to 'Igor'

Infamous lab assistant get a CGI makeover 

By  CATHY  DUNKLEY

  

  The infamous hunchbacked lab assistant makes his  way to the silver screen.

 Exodus Film has hired veteran animation exec Max Howard to exec produce its CGI-animated pic  "Igor." The $20 million-$25 million pic is being financed via Exodus' film fund. Company retains worldwide rights to pic, which it plans to have ready for theatrical release in 2007.Pic is intended as a franchise property for the company, which expects to develop merchandising, videogame and TV spinoffs from the feature.Written by Chris McKenna, comedy tells the story of a hunchbacked lab assistant who has big dreams of becoming a mad scientist and winning the first place prize at the annual Evil Science Fair.The CGI animation will be produced via Exodus' inhouse ElectroAge team. Some 50-75 animators are expected to work on the pic, which is in the character development stage; basic animation is expected to start at the end of this year.Howard was formerly president of Warner Bros. Feature Animation and senior VP of Disney Feature Animation. He worked on such Disney pics as "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Lion King."At WB he oversaw "The Iron Giant" and "Space Jam."He most recently was an exec producer on "Spirit: Stallion  of the Cimarron" for DreamWorks and is producing animated pic "The Spirit Bear," a tale about Canada's rare white kermode bear.

Posted:  Tuesday, March 6, 2005

Christian Slater To Voice Title Role In Exodus’ CGI-Animated Film “Igor”

VENICE, CA (March 4, 2005) – Christian Slater has signed on to lend his voice for the title character "Igor" in Exodus Film Group’s CGI-animated short film "Igor: Unholy Frijoles" which will precede the feature length theatrical version "Igor," due out in 2007. "Igor" is an irreverent comedy with a new twist on the classic mad scientist/monster genre. It tells the story of a mad scientist’s hunchbacked lab assistant who has big dreams of becoming a mad scientist in his own right and winning the coveted first place award at the annual Evil Science Fair.

The films are being executive produced by seasoned animation executive Max Howard who collaborated on such animated hits as Disney’s “Lion King,” “Aladdin,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Pocahontas,” “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?,” and Warner Bros.’ “Space Jam” and “The Iron Giant.”

“Christian’s instantly recognizable and dynamic voice will lend itself perfectly for the endearing, yet slightly quirky Igor,” said Howard.  “He is the first of several terrific voices we have planned for the film.”

Slater recently joined the cast of the upcoming Broadway revival of "The Glass Menagerie" starring Jessica Lange. He is coming off his highly successful run of “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” on London’s West End for which he received the Theatregoer’s Choice Award for Best Actor.  He’ll return to the West End for Tennessee Williams’ “Sweet Bird Of Youth” in the Fall.  His film credits include “True Romance,” “Broken Arrow,” and “Hard Rain.” Last year, he started a production company, Clean Slate Productions, with Mary Jo Slater. He is represented by ICM and Untitled Entertainment.

The cutting edge animation for “Igor” is being created by Exodus’ award-winning partner ElectroAge. Both the “Igor” short and feature were written by Chris McKenna. The short is being directed by Emmy winner Fil Barlow.

Melwood and SecondSun form a Strategic Alliance.

Mon Feb 16, 9:00 AM PST

SecondSun Entertainment (Vancouver, Canada) and Melwood Pictures (Hollywood, California) announce that they have formed a strategic alliance to develop and produce original television properties.

Melwood’s main focus has been on feature film projects; however, they have also created and collected a number of original television properties. “Melwood has a number of great original TV properties and we are now ready to take them to market.” stated Max Howard, President of Melwood. On the other hand, SecondSun’s production and marketing team has been focused on packaging and marketing television and video game properties. “Combining the industry experience and raw creativity represented by the Melwood team with the pitching and marketing skills from SecondSun gives us a power and presence in the marketplace. We are thrilled with this alliance.” says Roy Trivett, President of SecondSun.

About Melwood Pictures

Melwood Pictures was formed in 2000 by Max Howard, Veteran Disney Executive and former President of Feature Animation at Warner Bros and John McKenna, former Vice President of Feature Animation at Warner Bros and Senior VP of Feature Animation at FOX Broadcasting.

About SecondSun Entertainment

SecondSun was formed in 1998 by software industry veteran Roy Trivett; president and co-founder of Architel Systems Corporation. The SecondSun team has recently been augmented by the arrival of Kevin Gamble, a former producer with Mainframe Entertainment. He brings considerable 3D production experience to SecondSun having worked on more than 100 episodes of CG animated television and a number of Mainframe’s long form animated productions.

http://www.secondsunentertainment.com/

Melwood Pictures moves into new offices.

Mon Feb 09, 9:00 AM PST

Melwood Pictures has moved into their brand new studio in Glendale. Located in the heart of the animation district, the new offices will serve as headquarters for the current Melwood Pictures film "The Spirit Bear" as well support development work on a variety of upcoming projects.
Zoe welcomes guests to Melwood Pictures

The Melwood Story Department begins to take shape

YOUTH INSPIRE MAJOR HOLLYWOOD ANIMATED FILM THE SPIRIT BEAR 

VANCOUVER, September 15, 2003. 

It’s official.  Hollywood has a heart.  Today in Vancouver, British Columbia, Melwood Pictures, Hé ladé Productions and the Spirit Bear Youth Coalition announced they have entered into pre-production on a feature length, CGI (Computer Generated Image) animated movie with a mission.  Slated for release in Spring, 2006, The Spirit Bear is expected to be the first major motion picture made for the specific purpose of protecting its namesake – Canada’s white Kermode, or spirit bear.  The film will be set on Canada’s west coast – the only known home of the Spirit Bear – and will take the audience on a heartfelt journey of exploration and learning along with one very special bear cub. 

Producing the film is Max Howard, former President of Warner Brothers Animation and Senior Vice-President of Walt Disney Feature Animation. He now runs his own company, Melwood Pictures, based in Los Angeles. He was one of the senior architects of Disney's animation renaissance, and collaborated on such films as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King.

“The Lion King was the most successful animated film in history because it combined an epic landscape with a life-affirming story of loss and redemption. It managed to fulfill the audience’s appetite for uplifting personal struggles, while sanctifying and celebrating the ‘Circle of Life,’ a circle in which all creatures of the earth play a critical role,” said Howard.  “In The Spirit Bear I see all those same elements woven together with a very real, urgent issue of global importance, which gives me confidence that it has the potential to be as ground-breaking a film.” 

The Kermode bear lives in the Great Bear Rainforest on the northwest coast of British Columbia.  Through the presence of a double recessive gene, roughly one in 10 of the Forest’s Kermode bears, which are usually solid black, are born pure white.  Known as spirit bears, they are revered in the ancient mythology of the Tsimshian and are believed to bring good fortune to those who encounter them.  Today, however, fewer than 400 spirit bears roam the forest, and their future is in peril.  Without urgent and effective action they are doomed to extinction, as their habitat is eradicated through logging.

The campaign to save the spirit bear has been led by many organizations, including the five-million-strong, youth-run, Spirit Bear Youth Coalition (SBYC) which has supporters in 50 countries, making it the largest youth-led environmental initiative in the world.  The SBYC has organized young people to send tens of thousands of letters to the British Columbia government, urging that the spirit bear’s habitat be protected.  Hé ladé Productions President, Italia Gandolfo, was inspired by the passion of the young people involved in the campaign to make an animated film about the spirit bear in an effort to raise awareness and hopefully prevent its extinction.  Together, Gandolfo and SBYC’s Director, Simon Jackson, established Hé ladé Productions and have been working on this project together as co-Executive Producers.

To help safeguard the spirit bear, Hé ladé Productions will designate a portion of the film’s profits to the Hé ladé Foundation to help finance the conservation of the spirit bear’s habitat.  In addition, the foundation intends to create an endowment trust to help fund economic diversification in perpetuity for the communities of Klemtu and Hartley Bay. The goal is to ensure that funds are in place to protect the spirit bear and ensure that all stakeholders – union workers, forest companies, and the First Nations – are compensated.

West Vancouver native Simon Jackson, the founder and Director of the Spirit Bear Youth Coalition, is a twenty-one-year-old political science student at the University of Toronto. Named one of TIME Magazine’s “60 heroes for the planet” in 2000 alongside such eminent figures as Theodore Roosevelt, Jacques Cousteau, Ansel Adams and Dr. Jane Goodall, Jackson has campaigned tirelessly for the past eight years to save the spirit bear. 

"This film will help save the bear for us and for future generations. While there will be those who are wary of involving Hollywood in this issue, we are convinced that this is the best way to help ensure the bears’ protection and recognize the needs of the various parties affected,” said Jackson.  “This film can help provide the means to save the bear. And when we do, we will help develop an economic plan for the communities most directly affected.”

It is anticipated that elements of the film will be produced in British Columbia – directly contributing to the province’s economy.  The production team plans to enlist a First Nations advisor for input on the bear, the habitat, and the history of the region. 

Overseeing the film’s soundtrack will be Kevin Richardson and Keith McGuffey. As a prominent member of the internationally acclaimed musical group, the Backstreet Boys, Richardson has sold more than 70 million albums in 28 countries. He has a deep-rooted passion for the environment – founding the environmental foundation Just Within Reach – and has been a long-time support of the Spirit Bear Youth Coalition.  His business partner, McGuffey, has entered into a joint venture with Sony Music in New York, helping to develop aspiring songwriters, in addition to writing and producing songs for various artists.

"Every time we choose to sacrifice the long-term ecological, spiritual and economic value of a unique piece of our world, we ignore our role as stewards of this planet's species,” says Richardson.  “This film, I hope, will stop the impending tragedy and be the catalyst needed to permanently protect the spirit bear.” Added Jackson, “This initiative is massive in its undertaking and has the potential to create a lasting legacy for the spirit bear and the global environment.  It is the product of the hard work of all of the stakeholders in this issue, but the film especially is the result of the voices of young people from around the world who dared to care and speak up for the irreplaceable spirit bear.”