‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Light Trail to Make Debut at New York Botanical Garden – Film News in Brief
The New York Botanical Garden is set to debut a “The Nightmare Before Christmas” themed light trail, inspired by Tim Burton’s 1993 film, on Sept 27. The experience will run through Nov. 30, with operating hours from dusk until 10 p.m.
The trail features over 8,300 square feet of light installations created by technology including itneractive video projection, intelligent LED lighting and 3D printed sculptures of the film’s characters.
More from Variety
The trail is created by Adventurelive and LETSGO, and presented by a special arrangement with Buena Vista Theatrical. Tickets start at $39 for children and $49 for adults and can be purchased online.
Titmouse, Polygon Pictures to Partner and Produce Multiple CG Animation Series
Titmouse and Polygon Pictures will partner to develop and produce multiple CG series, specifically CG-focused adult and children’s animated projects.
Titmouse is known for its raunchy comedic work with the production of shows like “Big Mouth,” “The Legend of Vox Machina,” “The Venture Bros.,” “Star Trek: Lower Decks” and “Beavis and Butt-Head.” Polygon Pictures is one of the most respected CGI studios, responsible for producing “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” “Tron: Uprising,” “Transformers Prime,” “Pacific Rim: The Black,” “BLAME!” and “Love Death + Robots.”
“We’re seeing more and more prestige CG series happening in the adult space, like “Blue Eye Samurai” and “Arcane,” and since Polygon is known for its CG expertise and Titmouse is known for our adult animated series and unique point of view, we quickly realized this would be a match made in animation heaven,” Ben Kalina, COO, Titmouse Inc., said in a statement.
“Culturally, the work that we produce is so in line with what Titmouse does, and bringing the best of what we both do to this partnership to develop some mind-blowing CG series is going to be beyond fun,” Jack Liang, executive producer VP of international business development and licensing, Polygon Pictures, said in a statement.
Multiple series are currently in development and will be announced later.
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Unveils 2024 Fall Program Lineup
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures has unveiled its lineup of film series, public events and educational programs for fall 2024.
Highlights of the fall programming include a new 4K restoration of “Burden of Dreams” presented by Werner Herzog, a conversation with Rita Moreno followed by a screening of “West Side Story” and a five-film “Godzilla-Thon!,” which coincides with a day-long anniversary celebration of the first “Gojria” film.
The Academy Museum will also debut two new exhibitions in the fall season. “Color in Motion: Chromatic Explorations of Cinema,” which investigates the use of color in film, and “Cyberpunk: Envisioning Possible Futures Through Cinema,” which explores the cyberpunk sci-fi subgenre, both open to the public Oct. 6.
“This fall, we’ve curated a season of programming that allows audiences to engage with enduring movie icons—from Godzilla to Rita Moreno—as well as the many crafts that make these movies come to life on our screens,” said Academy Museum director and president Amy Homma. “With the opening of Color in Motion and Cyberpunk, its accompanying programming, and beyond, all our audiences are encouraged to visit us this season to see what’s new and celebrate what is timeless.”
Motion Picture and Television Fund to Recieve Humanitarian Award at 11th Annual LMGI Awards
The Location Managers Guild International (LMGI) will honor the Motion Picture and Television Fund (MPTF), celebrating over 100 years of aiding the entertainment community, with the LMGI Humanitarian Award at the 11th Annual LMGI Awards.
The LMGI Humanitarian Award recognizes MPTF’s commitment to their “exceptional work at the forefront of providing a wide range of health and social services to the entertainment community including healthcare, financial assistance, social services support, childcare, and residential living for the elderly, among many others,” reads the statement.
MPTF’s social connectivity program connects volunteers with isolated retired workers via friendly phone calls. The volunteer program features enthusiastic participants, from high schoolers to seniors. The MPTF campus, home to retirees since the 1940s, provides a positive, engaging, and healthy environment, with activities and arts programs keeping creativity flowing. The Social Services department takes intake calls daily to help address finances, relationships, and physical and mental health issues.
“The Motion Picture & Television Fund has been a lifeline for countless industry professionals, offering crucial support and care since 1921,” John Rakich, LMGI president, said in a statement. “We are proud to present them with the 2024 LMGI Humanitarian Award, celebrating their steadfast dedication to the health and well-being of our film and television communities.”
Previously announced, LMGI Honorary Awards include Supervising Location Manager Sue Quinn (“Fantastic Beasts” and the “Harry Potter” and “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchises) with the Lifetime Achievement Award and Location Manager Bill Bowling (“Jupiter Ascending,” “Cloud Atlas“) with the Trailblazer Award.
The annual ceremony will take place on Saturday, August 24, 2024, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, California. For a list of 2024 LMGI Awards nominees, click here.
Submissions Open for 34th Annual Gotham Awards
The Gotham Film & Media Institute has just announced that submissions are now open for the 34th Annual Gotham Awards. This year, best director and breakthrough performer have been added to the roster as new award-eligible categories.
The submission deadline is Sept. 19, 2024, for the following nine competition categories: best feature, best documentary feature, best international feature, best director, breakthrough director, best screenplay, outstanding lead performance, outstanding supporting performance and breakthrough performer. All television categories will be celebrated at the 2025 Gotham TV Awards.
“We’re thrilled to expand our recognition of exceptional talent this year,” Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of The Gotham Film & Media Institute, said in a statement. “For the first time, we are introducing the Gotham Award for Best Director, honoring a filmmaker whose fiction film, whether U.S. or international, pushes the boundaries of creativity and demonstrates a unique vision. This new award complements our longstanding Breakthrough Director Award for first-time directing talent.”
Nominees will be announced on Oct. 29, and the awards gala will take place in New York on Dec. 2, 2024.
Click here to access the portal to submit your applications and read the full criteria.
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.