Reel FX Creative Studios
Reel FX Creative Studios (also known as Reel FX Animation Studios for theatrical animated feature films or simply Reel FX) is an American computer animation studio based in Dallas, Texas, Hollywood, California and Montreal. The studio develops and produces award-winning animated films, short form and theme park content.[3] Its first original animated feature film, Free Birds, was released in 2013 and grossed over $110 million worldwide, despite receiving negative reviews. Its second film, The Book of Life was released in 2014 to widely positive reviews and received several nominations, including Best Animated Feature Nominations from the Golden Globe's, Critics’ Choice Awards, Producers Guild Awards and Annie Awards.[4] Rumble will be the 3rd original film from Reel FX, in conjunction with Paramount Animation, and is slated to be released on February 18, 2022.
Logo used as of 2014 | |
Type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Entertainment Commercial Post-production Production |
Genre | Various |
Predecessor | DNA Productions |
Founded | 1996 |
Headquarters | 301 North Crowdus Street, , |
Number of locations | 1575 N. Gower St, Suite 380 Hollywood, California, United States 1751 Richardson Street, Suite 1100 Montreal, Quebec |
Area served | 3 |
Key people | Steve O'Brien (CEO, Chairman)[1] David Ross (President) Chuck Peil (EVP/Partnerships) David Parrish (SVP/Prod) Jared Mass (Head of Originals) |
Products | Feature films Commercials Special Attractions |
Services | CGI animation Visual effects Motion design Editorial Audio |
Number of employees | 350 (2013)[2] |
Website | www |
The studio also does animation for other studios, including UglyDolls for STX Entertainment, and Scoob! for Warner Animation Group.
History
In 2006, Reel FX hired many employees of the studio DNA Productions, which was in the process of closing down.
In March 2007, Reel FX acquired Radium, a California-based digital studio that was founded in 1996 by Jonathan Keeton and Simon Mowbray.[5] As part of the acquisition, the studio re-branded itself in 2010 to Radium/Reel FX, and in February 2012 to Reel FX.[6] Since 2007, Reel FX has been presenting the Texas Avery Animation Award, created by the studio to "celebrate career achievement in animation".[7][8] The award, which is named after the Texas-born animator and cartoonist Tex Avery, is awarded each year at Dallas International Film Festival in a form of a bronze casting of Avery's Wolf character.[7]
In December 2010, it was announced that Reel FX produced an untitled 3D film with producer Andrew Adamson and Cirque du Soleil.[9] In January 2012, it was announced by Paramount Pictures that it had acquired worldwide rights to the film, now titled Worlds Away directed by Adamson and executive-produced by James Cameron.[10] In October 2012, The Hollywood Reporter revealed Reel FX's connection to the 2012 feature film, Rise of the Guardians. (The film is based on Reel FX's short film, The Man in the Moon, directed by William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg at Reel FX Creative Studios. It is also based on Joyce's book series, The Guardians of Childhood.[11])
From 2009 to 2013, Reel FX completed its first original animated feature film Free Birds.[13] Originally titled Turkeys[14] and scheduled for the release of 2014, but it was pulled back to November 1, 2013.[13] Jimmy Hayward directed the film, which tells a story about two turkeys who travel back in time to prevent their species from being the traditional Thanksgiving meal.[13] In February 2012, the studio announced a new CG-animated film, The Book of Life, directed by Jorge R. Gutierrez and produced by Guillermo del Toro. It is described as a "Romeo and Juliet-style love story set against a Mexican Day of the Dead backdrop."[15] In December 2012, it was reported that the studio has partnered with 20th Century Fox Animation to produce the film,[16] and scheduled for October 3, 2014, but it was pushed back to October 17.[17] Rumble is their next original film, slated with Paramount for a May 14, 2021 release, directed by Hamish Grieve.
Filmography
Released films
# | Title | Release date | Co-production with | Directors | Budget | Gross | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away | December 21, 2012 | Cirque du Soleil Burlesco Strange Weather Films Cameron Pace Group | Andrew Adamson | $25 million | $34.2 million | 47% | 51 |
2 | Free Birds | November 1, 2013 | Relativity Media | Jimmy Hayward | $55 million | $110.4 million | 19% | 38 |
3 | The Book of Life | October 17, 2014 | 20th Century Fox Animation | Jorge R. Gutierrez | $50 million | $99.7 million | 82% | 67 |
Upcoming films
# | Title | Release date | Ref(s) | Co-production with | Directors |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
4 | Rumble | February 18, 2022 | [18][19][20][21][22][23] | Paramount Animation New Republic Pictures WWE Studios Walden Media | Hamish Grieve |
In development
# | Title | Ref(s) | Directors |
---|---|---|---|
5 | Space Kung Fu Punch | [24] | Jorge R. Gutierrez |
6 | The Book of Life 2 | [25] | Jorge R. Gutierrez |
Short films
- The Adventures of Chuy (2015)[26]
Feature films
# | Title | Release date | Co-production with | Directors |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | The Wild | April 14, 2006 | C.O.R.E. Feature Animation Walt Disney Pictures | Steve Williams |
2 | Everyone's Hero | September 15, 2006 | IDT Entertainment 20th Century Fox | Christopher Reeve Colin Brady Daniel St. Pierre |
3 | Rock Dog | February 24, 2017 | Summit Entertainment Huayi Brothers | Ash Brannon |
4 | Sherlock Gnomes | March 23, 2018 | Paramount Animation MGM Rocket Pictures Mikros Image | John Stevenson |
5 | UglyDolls | May 3, 2019 | STX Entertainment Alibaba Pictures Troublemaker Studios Huaxia Film Distribution | Kelly Asbury |
6 | Scoob! | May 15, 2020[27][28] | Warner Bros. Pictures Warner Animation Group[27] | Tony Cervone |
Films
- G.I. Joe: Spy Troops (2003)
- G.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom (2004)
- Action Man: X Missions – The Movie (2005)
- Boz: Colors and Shapes (2006)
- Boz: Adventures in Imagination (2006)
- The Very First Noel (2006)
- Thank You God for B-O-Zs and 1-2-3s! (2007)
- Start Singing with Boz (2008)
- Open Season 2 (2008; with Sony Pictures Animation)[29]
- Tales of the Black Freighter (2009)
- Open Season 3 (2010; with Sony Pictures Animation)[30]
Series
- No Activity (season 4; animation assistance with ATK PLN for Flight School Studio)[31]
Specials
- Jonah Sing-Along Songs and More! (2002; with Big Idea Productions)
- Halloweentown High (2004)
- Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas (2011; with 20th Century Fox Animation and Blue Sky Studios)
Short films
- Aunt Fanny's Tour of Booty (2005; co-animated with Blue Sky Studios)[32][33]
- The Man in the Moon (2005)[34]
- Secrets of the Furious Five (2008)
- Looney Tunes: (with Warner Bros. Pictures and Warner Bros. Animation)
- Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner shorts:[35]
- Rabid Rider (2010)
- Fur of Flying (2010)
- Coyote Falls (2010)
- Flash in the Pain (2014)[36][37][38]
- I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat (2011)
- Daffy's Rhapsody (2012)[36]
- Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner shorts:[35]
- Best Fiends:
- Best Fiends: Boot Camp (2017)[39]
- Best Fiends: Visit Minutia (2017)[40]
- Best Fiends: Fort of Hard Knocks (2018)[41]
- Best Fiends: Baby Slug’s Big Day Out (2018)[42]
- Best Fiends: Howie's Gift (2019)[43]
- Best Fiends: Temper's Adventure (2019)[44]
- Best Fiends: The Immortal Cockroach (2019)[45]
- Best Fiends: The Fight Before Christmas (2019)[46]
- Best Fiends: King Slug Industries (2020)[47]
Theme park attractions
- The Simpsons Ride (2008; co-animated with Blur Studio)
- Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem (2012)[48]
Virtual worlds
Production logos
- Relativity Media (2013)
- Paramount Animation (2019; co-produced with ATK PLN)[49]
Collaborations
- Mass Animation - Live Music
References
- Beck, Jerry (October 25, 2012). ""Turkeys" get Greenlit at Reel FX". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
- Mallory, Michael (October 12, 2013). "Get Ready for a Real Turkey Feast!". Animation Magazine. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
- "With New Film The Book of Life, Studio Launches Virtual Reality Unit". Wall Street Journal. September 23, 2014. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
- "Book of Life from Dallas Scores Golden Globe Nomination". Dallas Morning News. December 11, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
- "Radium Merges with Dallas' Reel FX" (PDF). Pharos. March 7, 2007. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
- "Behind The Scenes: The Reel FX Rebrand". Reel FX News. February 8, 2012. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
- King, Darryn (April 18, 2015). "Phil Lord and Chris Miller Honored with 2015 Texas Avery Award". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
- Milligan, Mercedes (April 20, 2015). "Phil Lord and Chris Miller Receive Texas Avery Award". Animation Magazine. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
- Fleming, Mike (December 7, 2010). "Andrew Adamson, James Cameron team with Cirque du Soleil on 3D Feature". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
- Fleming, Mike (February 10, 2012). "Paramount Acquires Worldwide Rights To Andrew Adamson And James Cameron's Cirque Du Soleil 3D Feature". Deadline Hollywood.
- McCarthy, Todd (October 11, 2012). "Rise of the Guardians: Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
- CEC Entertainment, Inc. (May 20, 2014). "Chuck E. Cheese's Introduces Oculus Rift for Birthday Parties in Select Markets" (Press release). Reuters. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
- Shaw, Lucas (February 22, 2013). "Relativity Moves 'Turkeys' Up a Year; Amy Poehler Joins Voice Cast (Exclusive)". The Wrap. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
- Rebecca, Murray (March 27, 2013). "Turkeys is Now Free Birds". About.com. Archived from the original on May 11, 2013. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
- Kit, Borys (February 21, 2012). "Guillermo del Toro to Produce CG-Animated 'Day of the Dead' With Reel FX". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
- McClintock, Pamela (December 12, 2012). "Fox Animation Teaming With Guillermo del Toro on 'Book of Life' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 13, 2012.
- "Fox Dates 'Frankenstein' & 'Chipmunks 4,' Sets 2017-2018 Animated Slate". Deadline. June 10, 2013. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
- Fleming, Mike Jr. (February 18, 2015). "Reel FX Makes Multi-Picture Pact With 'Book Of Life' Helmer Jorge R. Gutierrez; Kung Fu Space Western, Anybody?". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
- Giardina, Carolyn (April 25, 2018). "Paramount Grows Its Animation Slate With 'Monster on the Hill,' 'Luck'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
- Amidi, Amid (April 26, 2018). "Paramount Announces 3 New Animated Features". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
- Giardina, Carolyn (June 12, 2019). "'Spice Girls' Movie in the Works as Paramount Unveils Animation Slate (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
- Pedersen, Erik (November 12, 2019). "Paramount Grounds 'Rugrats' Movie, Moves WWE's 'Rumble' Back Six Months & Titles Next 'SpongeBob' Pic". Deadline.
- Hipes, Patrick (October 28, 2020). "Paramount's Animated 'Rumble' Release Date Moves Deeper Into 2021". Deadline. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
- Hopewell, John (April 24, 2017). "'Despicable Me 3,' Pixar's 'Coco,' 'The Big Bad Fox' to Bow at France's 2017 Annecy Animation Festival". Variety. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
- Hopewell, John; Lang, Jamie (June 15, 2017). "Annecy: Reel FX, Jorge R. Gutierrez Announce 'The Book of Life 2,' Unveil 'Kung Fu Space Punch' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
- McLean, Tom (January 26, 2015). "'Book of Life' Comes to Home Video Libraries". Animation Magazine. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
- Kroll, Justin (October 15, 2018). "'Tom and Jerry,' 'Scooby-Doo' Movies Land Top Talent at Warner Animation Group (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.
- Kit, Borys (March 1, 2019). "Will Forte, Gina Rodriguez and Tracy Morgan to Star in Animated Scooby-Doo Movie (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
- Kit, Borys (March 17, 2010). "Granat, Reel FX form Bedrock Studios". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 6, 2010.
- Animation Mentor (April 2010). "Animator Interview with Mentor Ray Chase". Animation Mentor. Archived from the original on June 20, 2010. Retrieved November 26, 2010.
- Reel FX (October 29, 2020). "Congratulations @flightschoolHQ for helping pivot CBS's live action comedy series, @NoActivityCBS, to animation for this coming season. Reel FX Animation is proud and excited to dish out an assist on this project". Twitter.
- Gilchrist, Todd (September 28, 2005). "Robots". IGN. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
- Foster, Dave (August 24, 2005). "Robots (R2) in September - Menus added". The Digital Fix. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
- Qidong, Zhang (November 23, 2012). "Animation studio sees role for China". China Daily. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
- Desowitz, Bill (July 30, 2010). "O'Callaghan Talks Coyote Falls". Animation World Network. Retrieved November 6, 2010.
- "Looney Tunes "Daffy's Rhapsody"". Reel FX. Retrieved February 15, 2012.
- Hopewell, John (June 9, 2014). "Studios, France, Emerging Industries Energize Annecy". Variety. Retrieved June 24, 2014.
Closing ceremony, featuring Official Selection award announcements and Warner Bros.’ 3D short “A Flash in the Pain”
- "Reel FX Live from Annecy!". Reel FX. June 11, 2014. Archived from the original on June 24, 2014. Retrieved June 24, 2014.
Peil wrapped up the presentation with the 6th installment in the series of Looney Tunes shorts “Flash in the Pain”.
- Boot Camp - A Best Fiends Animation
- Visit Minutia - A Best Fiends Animation
- Fort of Hard Knocks - A Best Fiends Animation
- Baby Slug’s Big Day Out - A Best Fiends Animation
- Howie's Gift - A Best Fiends Animation
- Temper's Adventure - A Best Fiends Animation
- The Immortal Cockroach - A Best Fiends Animation
- The Fight Before Christmas - A Best Fiends Animation
- King Slug Industries - A Best Fiends Animation
- Reel FX (July 2, 2012). "It's Time For Minion Mayhem at Universal Orlando". Reel FX. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
- "Meet Star Skipper, Paramount Animation's Magical New Trademark Logo Character". Variety. September 19, 2019. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Reel FX. |