TALKING PJ MASKS






How do we get such accurate movement on the mouths of the characters when they talk?

Well-- We record the dialogue first with our AMAZING CAST, in Toronto- Canada.
Then we edit the recordings into tracks that our animators use to create what we call LIP SYNCH- using the chart below, and a lot of artistic talent, we match each SOUND with a mouth SHAPE-- Animating the whole dialogue, for each second of each scene of each episode.

PHEW-- That's a lot of work!

BOOM!

PJ MASKS SEASON 4 IS GO!

Entertainment One (eOne) is kicking off production on a fourth season of global hit superhero show for preschoolers, PJ Masks, with a new batch of 52 x 11’ episodes slated for delivery from April 2020. The announcement comes just as the third season nears its launch on Disney Junior EMEA, LatAm, Australia/New Zealand & Asia later this year following a successful April launch in the US.
Produced by eOne and Frog Box, in collaboration with broadcaster Disney Junior, season 4 will see the show’s brave heroes, Catboy, Owlette and Gekko, save the day in all-new adventures! For the first time the series will open with a special four-part episode, taking PJ Masks fans on an exciting and dramatic, action-packed 44-minute adventure.
“With a growing global fan base, PJ Masks has firmly cemented its position as a leading preschool animated property and demand for new content is extremely high,” said eOne’s Olivier Dumont, President, Family & Brands. “We’re thrilled to be bringing audiences another 52 episodes that will fuel the growth of the global licensing program and demonstrate our unwavering commitment to the future of the property.”


PJ MASKS SEASON 3--

Hold on to your pants because PJM3 is now on air and coming at you with NEW villains, heroes, locations, vehicles and FUN!
Here is only one special episode of 52 with our crazy new moth alien character Motsuki

FOUR ARMS to animate AND wings, you say?!
YES we did it.

Psst... Currently in full production for PJM4!
WELL DONE to the WHOLE TEAM!
Super special crew, from the writers right down to Timmy the tea boy. I couldnt wish for a better and more talented bunch!
Thank you to you all


BOOM!


The PJ Masks have been nominated for an ANNIE for Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production for Preschool Children.
Congratulations to all the crew, cast and everyone involved for making the show what it is and such a pleasure to work on.

GO PJ MASKS!


GUESS WHO'S COMING TO ROME?
VIDEOCITTA`- 'Dietro il grande schermo c'e` un' altro spettacolo'

Those lovely people from Videocitta` invited me to take part in their amazing event which takes place from the 18th of October to the 28th.
More than 60 events, 40 masterclasses in 20 locations in the most beautiful capital in the World.
My presentation will be on the 20th at 15h: The PJ Masks, from script to screen.
Hope to see you there!

-----------------------------

La brava gente del Videocitta` mi ha invitato a far parte del loro programma per il loro evento di quest' anno, che va` dal 19 Ottobre fino al 28.
Piu` di 60 eventi, 40 masterclass, in piu` di 20 locations nella capitale piu` bella del mondo.
La mia presentazione sara` il 20 Ottobre alle 15h: The PJ Masks, from script to screen.
Spero diu vedervi tutti la`!




http://www.videocitta.com/il-cinema-animato-cristian-de-vita-e-i-pjmask/

CARTOONS ON THE BAY 20th anniversary clip

A little something I was involved in back in April for the 20th edition of Cartoons On The Bay.
I had the immense pleasure to be asked to produce 5 seconds of animation to stand alongside other 5 second segments by some great Italian animators.

The result is a fun romp featuring Cartoons On The Bay's own mascotte the wonderful Pulcinella. See if you can spot my bit!

Enjoy

to read more about the piece click here http://www.asifaitalia.org/20-volte-cartoons-the-bay/
But beware... It's in Italian!

  


'The Greatest Gift' behind the scenes...

A little making of clip of the Christmas ad I worked on.
And a few storyboard panels from the process.






'The Greatest Gift' Christmas ad directed by Sam Fel

'The Greatest Gift'

Here is the Christmas ad directed by Sam Fell and produced by Passion Pictures that I helped storyboard. I got to work with a director I admire- Paranorman being one of my favourite animated films in a long time- and for a studio I enjoy working with.

I only worked on the pitch board... I guess Passion Pictures won the commission then!

Enjoy

WES ANDERSON H&M Christmas campaign...

WES ANDERSON H&M Christmas campaign...

A little something I worked on back in May.
Another Christmas campaign another great director.
WES ANDERSON'S advert for a Merry Christmas, the seasonal campaign for H&M


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDinoNRC49c

The FOUR MINUTE short film titled "Come Together" stars Brody as the conductor of a woefully delayed train who's forced to put together a last-minute Christmas brunch to cheer up his disgruntled passengers.
From the framing to the colorful outfits, the advert is absolutely Wes Anderson.

WES ANDERSON H&M Christmas campaign-- Storyboards

WES ANDERSON H&M CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN--- The Storyboards



And here is the work that goes behind developing a short directed by Wes Anderson.
Storyboards by myself
After Effects montage by Ray Lewis
We produced the whole thing in just over a week, myself working on a portable tablet using sketches made on paper and Photoshop artwork, divided into layers to create the environments separated from the characters. Each character separated into various poses, then smaller layers for arm & leg movement leg, different expressions.
The whole thing then was put together by the inexhaustible and talented Ray Lewis in After Effects by animating the layers, constructing 3Dimensional environments out of my separate layers, adding camera moves and VFX all made to order by the needs of director Wes Anderson.
As we had worked with Wes before on a number of projects, starting with Fantastic Mr Fox, we knew what the job demanded of us, and how to produce the work and how to manage it in the time given by the agency.
As Wes likes to plan each shot to the very detail at the storyboard stage we knew that this had to be a very accurate blueprint for the live action shoot to come. Each pose, expression, camera move and timing being precisely described by Wes down to the very fine detail.
The end product was the result of around 10 exhausting days working around 20 hours a day and around 3500 layers of artwork... Luckily we stuck to black and white and we would have still been here at Christmas.
Always a pleasure to work with a director with such clear vision as Wes, even though our experiences with the London agency turned out to be less than pleasant.
Slightly marred the whole experience and reminded me again why I disliked working with many ad agencies in the past... Little respect for the artists and people involved in producing the work they're getting paid the big bucks for.

Doesn't take away from the work we produced though...

Enjoy

https://vimeo.com/193693723?utm_source=email&utm_medium=vimeo-cliptranscode-201504&utm_campaign=28749

For Ray Lewis' other work look here... It's a must!

https://vimeo.com/fleabilly
https://www.flickr.com/photos/raylewis/
http://fleabilly.tumblr.com/

And a couple of books you can buy also from Mr Fox and Black Swan... Photoshoots he did!

http://www.blurb.com/b/1927599-black-swan-portraits
http://www.blurb.com/b/987773-ray-lewis-select-photographs

PJ Masks on FRANCE 5 this SATURDAY!!!!

PJ MASKS finally in French television 

This SATURDAY from 9.45 a DOUBLE episode featuring the adventures of Catboy, Owlette and Gekko... Or in French Yoyo, Gluglu et Bibou 

Only on France 5's ZouZous children's program



PJ Masks- two of the latest episodes on Youtube

Here is a couple of episodes or the PJ Masks-

Catboy vs Robot-Cat directed by the amazing Wilson Dos Santos, and Owlette and the Giving Owl, directed by the spectacular Christian De Vita

Enjoy!






PJ MASKS hits US screens on DISNEY JUNIOR

It's finally here!

The PJ MASKS started broadcasting on thr 18th of September on DisneyJunior in the US and opened to 1.6 Million viewers in the first week!

Seems all the good work and efforts of the crew at TeamTo who helped me bring the show to TV has really paid off.

GO GO PJ MASKS!!!

You can see the trailer here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmUx9cGUHzg

And reads more about it on AWN

http://www.awn.com/news/eone-announces-broadcast-premiere-pj-masks