Pink Kong Studios wishes our colleagues in the animation industry very happy holidays and a fruitful 2022.
Pink Kong Studios has enjoyed a successful year in 2021 and is equally as optimistic for the coming year. Actively seeking co-production projects as well as larger service projects in 2022 to add to the ever-growing slate of high-quality animation produced in Pink Kong Studios.
Some of the highlights of 2021 include several projects in development from Screen Irelands Slate funding. The short film “The Dead Hands of Dublin” being screened at a multitude of international film festivals and receiving numerous awards throughout the year. As well as their TV series Urban Tails being distributed internationally and the launch of the music album on all the leading platforms- with the musical soundtrack longlisted for the 64th GRAMMY Awards® for “Best Children’s Album”.
So, lets round up 2021 with some highlights.
Screen Ireland Slate Funding:
Pink Kong Studios was awarded €100,000 in 2020 by Screen Ireland to develop their upcoming shows and films. In 2021 major development was underway including a 20 x22min TV series CRYPTIX, a feature film 1x90min Pookaville and a couple co-development TV series (yet to be announced!).
“Cryptix” (Action-Comedy Series targeting 9-12-year-olds. 20 x 22-minute episodes)
Mythical Monsters, Martial Arts and Mayhem!
An epic high-kicking martial arts underdog story, starring 13-year-old Dubliner Dani Daly, her sensei Nico (a chubby magical miniature Unicorn), Yeti, Nessie, Time Dragon and Ireland’s own mythical monster… the Dobhar-chú (Otter Man). Why is it that these mythical creatures have never been caught by humans?…because they are stealthy kick-ass ninjas of course!
This September the series launched its proof-of-concept trailer at the world-renowned market in Toulouse at Cartoon Forum 2021.
Catch the trailer here: https://vimeo.com/617828214
“Pookaville” (Adventure-Comedy Feature for a PG Audience. 1 x 90-minute Film)
Pookaville plunges a small band of misfits into a supernatural Halloween adventure they will never forget!
An Irish Halloween adventure set in the fictional coastal town of Pookaville. Armed with an enchanted family heirloom, and a playful shapeshifting spirit guide PÚC, 12-year-old Irish American EIBH, sets off on a journey of self-discovery. With the help of her Friends J.J. and AMY, Eibh soon realises she alone holds the key to restore balance and destroy the Dark Magic terrorising the towns adults once and for all.
Urban Tails:
Urban Tails is a musical series that sees urban animals teach viewers about what their lives are really like in hip-hop inspired songs. This short form program has been picked up by Kidstreet in the US, TVO in Canada and Showmax in Africa and with streaming sites Epic, Azoomee and Kidoodle to name a few. The tracks from Urban Tails are available to stream on Spotify, where they receive nearly 50,000 monthly listens.
The musical soundtrack to the series was longlisted for the 64th GRAMMY Awards® “Best Children’s Album” and is available to stream across all major music platforms.
Alongside the series, RTÉjr ‘Shorts Yule Love’ will air again in 2021. The series includes Pink Kong Studios musical number, ‘Urban Tails: The Big Christmas Song’. Which is an awesome animated musical set in the universe of “Urban Tails” the RTEjr pre-school series.
The main message of “The Big Christmas Song” is not the presents we receive or the oh-so tasty treats we eat, it’s about sharing, caring and spending time with the ones we love.
Augmented Reality Game:
In June 2021 Screen Ireland and Animation Ireland announced its recipients of a new development fund “Animation Concept and Innovation Fund”. StoryVerse- Myth Masters is a multi-player augmented reality game for children consisting of highly entertaining gameplay coupled with engaging epic storylines. Players strategise and compete using their favourite characters from ancient myths and legends. It is education by stealth, through animation and the magic of augmented reality.
Development is well underway, and the proof-of-concept game will be ready for an investor/ publisher first look at the product in Q1 2022.
Short Film- The Dead Hands of Dublin:
It has been a glorious year for the film with over 30 accolades, screenings in over 60 international film festivals.
Some of the awards to note are: Irish Animation Awards for “Best Sound Design”, Kinsale Shark Awards for “Best Animated Film”, Irish Film and Television Award nomination for “Best Short Animation”, the inaugural RTS Ireland Television Awards for “Best Animation”.“The Dead Hands of Dublin” is Pink Kong Studios third cinematic release of an animated short film. Directed by Leo Crowley (first time cinematic director) and produced by Niamh Herrity. The film is narrated by Tony Award Winner Jim Norton and the score was composed by Daragh Black Hynes