Monday, September 11, 2017

How Nickelodeon Is Turning Up The Volume | Nick

They say good things come in threes, but for Nickelodeon, that principle may need a much higher number. In this year’s fiscal third quarter, the US kids network owned nine of the top 10 shows for kids ages two to 11, and four of the top five shows for kids two to five, according to Nielsen Media Research. Led by the number-one and number-two animated kids shows on all of TV (new comedy The Loud House and perennial hit SpongeBob SquarePants), as well as the top two live-action series across television with kids two to 11 in Henry Danger and The Thundermans, Nickelodeon is riding a wave of momentum that it hasn’t experienced in years.


Considering Nick’s significant ratings decline just two years ago, the increasingly competitive content landscape, and the ongoing impact of cord-cutting on traditional linear broadcasters, the kidsnet’s recent success—and inclusion as one of Viacom’s six flagship brands—is a testament to the current strength of its brands, according to Chris Viscardi, Senior Vice President (SVP) of production and development, animation.

“It also says a lot about how powerful the brands have been for Viacom over the last bunch of years, and maybe throughout the history of Nick and Nick Jr. The restructure, however, has not really changed how we do our day-to-day business on the animation side and how we necessarily look at properties,” Viscardi told Kidscreen.

“We’re all about making emotional, hilarious animation for kids that hopefully lasts the test of time like some of the animation we made many years ago. If we get there through comedy, action or a mix of the two, that’s fantastic. If we create something that works on linear, for digital or in theaters, that’s great, too. We’re exploring all of these genres and distribution options. For me, where we’re going to be in the next six months, year or five years is what I’m most excited about.”

A strategy that has changed for Viscardi is Nick’s extra commitment to audience engagement, especially as kids’ viewing habits constantly evolve. “We really need our shows to work for kids in this increasingly fragmented world,” he says. “What they want is more important than ever before, so we have to ensure that the tone, sensibility, emotional component and subject matter really connects with them. We’ve always done it, but we’re more focused now.”

Although Viacom’s turnaround plan was announced in February, a bigger spotlight was placed on Nickelodeon last November when longtime Viacom executive Bakish took the reins after serving as president and CEO of Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), and its predecessor company MTV Networks International, since 2007. As Bakish became CEO, the media conglomerate also reestablished its Kids and Family Group as Nickelodeon Group to zero in on Nick and leverage additional growth opportunities around its kids business. Nickelodeon president Cyma Zarghami continues to lead the division, which is now comprised of Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., TeenNick, Nick at Nite and NickToons. (TV Land and CMT moved to new Viacom Global Entertainment Group business unit.) Bakish, who in his previous role was instrumental in doubling Viacom’s international revenue and expanding the reach of the company’s 200-plus TV channels to a combined 3.9 billion subscribers, has been quick to reinvigorate Nick by investing in new content and expanding distribution efforts.


In Nick’s forthcoming Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie, fans will finally learn the whereabouts of Arnold’s missing parents

Getting animated

For its 2017 upfront lineup of nearly 700 episodes of new and returning series, Nick announced a raft of potential new hits including: 40-episode order Sunny Day, a preschool series produced by Silvergate Media (Peter Rabbit) that follows the life of a 10-year-old problem-solving hair stylist; animated Henry Danger spin-off The Adventures of Kid Danger and Captain Man from veteran Nick hitmaker Dan Schneider (Game Shakers, iCarly); and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (working title), a 2D-animated reimagining of the global TMNT franchise.

Nickelodeon’s new state-of-the-art Burbank studio, in fact, is currently in production on a record 17 different animated properties for Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. spanning TV series, specials and movies. (The studio can accommodate 20 simultaneous productions in total.)

Viscardi points to the newly launched TV version of digital short-form series Welcome to the Wayne and upcoming social media-influenced mockumentary Pinky Malinky as two great examples of Nick’s ongoing commitment to quality original content. “We win the most when we generate our own original IPs, and comedy is always the great unifier,” he says. “Welcome to the Wayne is a great new show based on the successful digital series, the same way Henry Danger and Kid Danger both come from a popular digital-first version of the IP. Having a digital training ground for new properties has proven to be extremely invaluable.”

Pinky Malinky, meanwhile, comes from co-executive producers Chris Garbutt, Rikke Asbjoern and Scott Kreamer, who are all members of Nickelodeon’s Artist Collective, a group of experienced content creators who mentor new talent. The series follows the everyday adventures of an infectiously optimistic hot dog that lives in the human world and navigates school and life with his two best friends. “Within the show, Pinky and his friends are always creating social media content, so that whole culture is very baked into the series, which, in turn, will help make the show even more relevant for today’s kids,” says Viscardi.


SpongeBob gets the stop-motion treatment for a second time with Nick’s upcoming Halloween special The Legend of Boo-Kini Bottom

As for animated TV specials and movies, production is underway an original one-hour Rocko’s Modern Life special, "Static Cling", based on Nick’s beloved ’90s hit of the same name, as well as Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie and Screen Novelties-produced stop-motion Halloween special SpongeBob SquarePants: The Legend of Boo-Kini Bottom. “The approach with library properties is to take them one at a time. We don’t move forward on any reboot unless we know we can do it right,” says Viscardi. “One of the ways we can do this is by having the original creator on board, but we will only jump in if the creator has a story that they want to tell.”

Hey Arnold! creator Craig Bartlett, for example, had part of the original series he wanted to wrap up—whether or not Arnold would find his parents—which offered an organic way for Nick to jump back into the property without having to reconfigure something new.

Another evergreen that continues to stay fresh is SpongeBob. Along with its upcoming Halloween special, the first-ever SpongeBob Broadway show will bow in New York later this year, and the iconic show’s 12th season will air in 2019, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the property. The yellow sponge’s social media game has also received a boost in the last 18 months, thanks to a community manager hire for the brand. “It’s the first time we hired for this role on SpongeBob, and we have one for TMNT, too. We’re finding that the dialog with the social audience is very different than the one happening on television, and in some cases, in our apps,” says Pam Kaufman, Nickelodeon Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and President of global consumer products. “The strategy has definitely contributed to SpongeBob’s ongoing success.”

Original live action

Along with new projects featuring teen influencer JoJo Siwa (see “Influencer influx,” below), other new live-action shows on Nick’s slate include AI-themed I Am Frankie, recently launched tween mystery series Hunter Street and all-new episodes from Henry Danger, Game Shakers, The Thundermans, School of Rock and Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn.

According to Bronwen O’Keefe, SVP of live-action television series and movies, Nickelodeon will, in fact, produce a record 300 live-action episodes within the next year. “For the past couple of years we’ve really diversified the live-action slate, which is one of the things that differentiates us from the competition,” O’Keefe says, citing Hunter Street as a prime example. Launched in February, the series is the English-language version of Nickelodeon Netherlands series De Ludwigs, and has already been snapped up for a second season. It follows the story of five foster kids who band together to solve the mystery of their parents’ disappearance.

“It’s produced entirely out of Amsterdam in collaboration with our Nickelodeon International partners. It has equal parts mystery, comedy and adventure, and taps into a lot of our research insights around the importance of family and kid empowerment,” says O’Keefe.

I am Frankie, meanwhile, tells the story a teenager who is forced to hide her true identity as an experimental android—or risk being switched off forever. Produced at Nick’s Miami studio, the series is the English version of Nickelodeon Latin America’s hit show Yo Soy Frankie, and replicates the production model that worked for Every Witch Way, the American version of teen telenovela Grachi.

Additional live-action projects include Knight Squad, a new scripted series slated for March from Thundermans creators Sean Cunningham and Marc Dworkin, and JoJo Siwa’s latest star vehicle Inside Voice, which features virtual reality sequences created by Nick’s innovative new Entertainment Lab and will hit screens in 2018.

Hi-tech storytelling

The Lab, under the direction of Nickelodeon Animation Lab’s former creative director Chris Young, is a bold new venture for the kidsnet that’s experimenting with ways to integrate storytelling across new technologies. Think real-time rendering, virtual cinema, location-based virtual reality, augmented and mixed reality, and artificial intelligence.

Located at Nickelodeon’s Burbank studio, the Lab touts close connections with many of the kidsnet’s creators, producers and executives, including Viscardi, O’Keefe and Kaufman. “Having Chris and the Lab embedded in Burbank is incredibly helpful because it creates a real sense of collaboration with all of our show creators, both on the live-action and animation fronts,” says O’Keefe. “It also opens up the door for us to think about different kinds of storytelling, production models and values. Before Inside Voice, we collaborated with the Lab on VR moments in TV movie Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, which launches next month.”

The Loud House creator Chris Savino worked closely with the Lab on its first linear project earlier this year, Lincoln Loud Live. Using a real-time puppet version of the show’s star built from a new Adobe character animator tool, the Lab let fans engage in unique, real-time conversations with Lincoln on social media. The division also recently created Slime Zone—a social VR experience that was introduced during the opening party for the Nickelodeon 2017 Kids’ Choice Awards. The demo puts kids and their families inside a giant Nick play space where they can watch cartoons, compete in multiplayer games, create art and run around with slime blasters.

Going forward, Viscardi hopes to collaborate with the Lab on real-time rendering animation and find properties that could work in that type of pipeline. “We did a fair amount of exploration with the real-time game engine last year, so we know we can do it a certain way, but how can we do it at the right cost and with the right pipeline so that high-quality content can be turned out on more of a series type of order?” Viscardi asks.

Popcorn fare

With tech innovation firing on all cylinders, and its animated and live-action television series, movies and specials diversified like never before, Nickelodeon is also ramping up its theatrical slate following February’s four-movie deal with Paramount Pictures. The first co-branded feature, Amusement Park, is set to premiere in spring 2019 and will be followed shortly after by a animated Nickelodeon TV series adaptation. A third SpongeBob movie will also arrive in 2019, while film adaptations of The Loud House and Henry Danger round out the deal.

Viacom’s commitment to Nick and Paramount co-branded kids movies comes as the company’s Filmed Entertainment revenue grew 36% to US$847 million in Q3, with domestic revenues rising 19% to US$388 million and international revenue skyrocketing 56% to US$459 million.

More good news on the movie front came in June with the announcement that former DreamWorks-owned AwesomenessTV founder and CEO Brian Robbins would serve as president of Paramount Players, a new production division of Paramount Pictures. Homing in on talent and properties to develop into co-branded feature films across all of Viacom’s flagship brands, the movies will be marketed and distributed by Paramount Pictures with a major emphasis on digital and social media campaigns.

“Bob’s strategy is to focus the organization and build a more collaborative culture, so working with Paramount is a top priority,” says Kaufman. “Going forward, Nick global CP will be handling all licensing and promotions for our co-branded films around the world.”

Although it’s early days, O’Keefe is also optimistic about the potential opportunities stemming from the new Paramount arrangement. “It’s exciting to think about how we can take our IP and seamlessly move them between different screens. How this can help extend the life of a franchise is a gigantic opportunity,” she says.

Influencer influx


In terms of its new live-action content slate, Nickelodeon is integrating social media star, singer, dancer and actress JoJo Siwa further into its realm with a gig as a commentator on its new spin-off series dubbed Lip Sync Battle Shorties.

A docu-style special that gave viewers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into the life of the 14-year-old influencer, JoJo Siwa: My World, was also been greenlit, and aired earlier this summer. The projects are part of a broader multiplatform talent deal signed by Nick and Siwa during this year’s upfronts that spans consumer products, original programming, social media, live events and music.

Siwa previously made several TV appearances on Nick shows including TeenNick Top 10 and the kidsnet’s Ultimate Halloween Haunted House special. Nickelodeon Consumer Products is also looking to sign merchandising and promotional partners in categories including apparel, home furnishings, toys, accessories and publishing. “We’re launching products right now in the US and we’ll definitely take JoJo around to markets where it makes sense. She’s a great ambassador for us to connect to a wider audience,” says Pam Kaufman, Nickelodeon CMO and president of global consumer products.

For Bronwen O’Keefe, SVP of live-action television series and movies, the deal marks a new type of talent strategy for Nickelodeon, and she expects the kidsnet will secure similar deals in the future. “It’s about delivering on the audience’s desire to connect on a deeper level with the talent that is interesting to them,” she says. “YouTube and social media stars are number three and four in our research around kids’ preferred role models. More than 50% of kids, in fact, believe social media stars to be their friends.”

O’Keefe adds that Siwa’s own point of view about her brand is particularly alluring. “You don’t get four million YouTube subscribers without having a strong vision, and the last thing we want to do is change that,” O’Keefe says. “As a creator-friendly network, the DNA of a hit is a vision and perspective that is unwavering, so we look at social media stars the same way, but they should have an affinity for the Nick brand, too.”

When asked about the intricacies of picking the right influencers at the right time, O’Keefe says it varies. “Sometimes it’s about the age of the stars themselves, and sometimes it’s about the age of their fan bases. JoJo is just 14 and her fan base skews really young, which is a huge opportunity for us to capture a wider band of audience. And what’s great about JoJo is that she’s in no hurry to grow up,” she says. “Whether we’re looking at 10-, 14- or 18-year-olds, it’s about their tone, perspective and vision, and how that connects with our audience.”
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Nickelodeon South East Asia And Tities Sapoetra Collaborate For New SpongeBob Gold Collection

SpongeBob SquarePants is painting the fashion world GOLD!


Nickelodeon South East Asia has announced the Sponge-Tastic news that they have collaborated with Indonesian actor and contemporary fashion designer Tities Sapoetra for a brand-new SpongeBob Gold line! Sapoetra will unveil his interpretation of Nickelodeon's iconic sponge by turning up the GOLD Heat on Tuesday 26th September 2017 at Plaza Indonesia Mens Fashion Week 2017 (PIMFW / PIMFW2017)!

The collection will form part of Nickelodeon's year-long SpongeBob Gold international campaign, celebrating Nickelodeon’s incurably optimistic and earnest sea sponge, SpongeBob SquarePants. SpongeBob Gold also includes an innovative collaboration with six international designers – Peter Jensen, Bobby Abley, Salar, Maria Francesca Pepe, Suecomma Bonnie and Bad Denim – who have designed a SpongeBob Gold fashion collection featuring clothing for men and women as well as footwear, accessories and jewellery.




Additional source: plazaindonesia.com.
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Nick Jr. UK Starts To Premiere Brand-New Episodes "Nella The Princess Knight"

Nick Jr. UK & Ireland today, Monday 11th September 2017, started to premiere more brand-new episodes of Nella the Princess Knight weekdays at 4:30pm!


This September, Nick Jr. is taking preschoolers on brand-new thrilling adventures in a kingdom far away where there lives a... Princess Knight! Nickelodeon's popular animated preschool series, Nella the Princess Knight, follows Nella, an unconventional 8-year-old who possesses the royal qualities of a princess, like compassion and grace, while also embodying the courage and determination of a brave knight. Whenever a problem arises, Nella embarks on daring quests to save her kingdom through her unique ability to transform from a princess into Nella the Princess Knight. Nella the Princess Knight (40 half-hour episodes) features a social-emotional curriculum promoting self-confidence, inclusiveness and compassion for others.


Nella is a confident 8-year-old princess who likes dancing at extravagant balls just as much as she likes meeting fire-breathing dragons. She transcends traditional roles and expectations through her ability to transform into Nella the Princess Knight, protecting her kingdom with the help of her friends: Trinket, Nella's glamorous unicorn and best friend; Sir Garrett, a loyal and adventurous knight; and Clod, Garrett's trusty steed.

Online at nickjr.co.uk/nella, parents and children can meet the characters, discover creative Nella the Princess Knight activities, find out more about about the show, as well watch exclusive clips from the series.

Fans can also download the brand-new Nella the Princess Knight app, "Kingdom Adventures", which features a suite of games based on social-emotional lessons taught in the hit Nick Jr. series Nella the Princess Knight. In the spirit of the show, the game leans on princess-and-knight heroine Nella to inspire girl empowerment, self-confidence, resilience and compassion among players.

“Nella the Princess Knight: Kingdom Adventures” is free to download on the iTunes Store and Google Play in more than 150 international markets in 12 languages: Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Russian, European Spanish, Latin American Spanish, Swedish, British English and Brazilian Portuguese.

In additional news, Nick Jr. UK's sister channel, Channel 5 recently added Nella the Princess Knight to its recently refreshed preschool programming block, Milkshake!.

More Nick: Nickelodeon International Launches "Nella The Princess Knight"-Inspired App To Promote Self-Confidence, Inclusiveness And Kindness!

Additional source: Digiguide.
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The Loud House International Theme Song | The Loud House | Nickelodeon Animation

Jam out to The Loud House theme song in English, Spanish (Español), French (Français), Arabic (العَرَبِيَّة‎‎), Italian (Italiano), German (Deutsch), Polish (Polski), Portuguese (Português), Korean (한국어), Dutch (Nederlands), Russian (Российская) and Hebrew (עברית‎) with members of The Loud Crowd from around the world!



Check out the Nickelodeon Animation Studio on their other sites:

Official NAS Website: http://nickanimationstudio.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NickAnimation
Tumblr: http://nickanimationstudio.tumblr.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NickAnimation
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickanimation/

More Nick: Season 3 Sneak Peek | Nickelodeon Animation Podcast!

Additional source: Wikipedia (I, II, III, IV, V).
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Princess Grace Foundation-USA To Introduce The Stephen Hillenburg Animation Scholarship

Original The Princess Grace Foundation-USA Press Release via PR Newswire:

Princess Grace Foundation-USA to present James Cameron with Prince Rainier III Award


Foundation also announces inaugural Stephen Hillenburg Animation Scholarship



Stephen Hillenburg, creator of SpongeBob SquarePants

NEW YORK, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Princess Grace Foundation-USA (PGF-USA) is proud to announce that filmmaker James Cameron will accept the distinguished Prince Rainier III Award for his outstanding contributions to the arts and his exemplary give-back. Mr. Cameron will be honored at the Princess Grace Awards Gala in Beverly Hills on October 25, 2017. The Foundation will also introduce the Stephen Hillenburg Animation Scholarship, a gift awarded annually in support of emerging animators in the film category. The evening will include a special dance performance by past Princess Grace Award winners Michelle Dorrance, Jason Samuels Smith, and Joseph Wiggan.

The 2017 Princess Grace Awards Gala celebrates the Foundation's 35th Anniversary and continues the legacy of Princess Grace (Kelly) of Monaco, who helped emerging artists pursue their artistic goals during Her lifetime. In total, the Foundation is awarding over $1 million to artists in theater, dance, and film. In the presence of Their Serene Highnesses The Prince and The Princess of Monaco, the evening is co-chaired by Wallis Annenberg and Katia and Sidney Toledano. Major Gala supporters include: Christian Dior Couture as Presenting Sponsor, and The Annenberg Foundation and Karen and Rod Gancas as Crown Sponsors.


The Prince Rainier III Award recognizes a renowned leader in the arts whose own accomplishments are coupled with demonstrated service to their community. Past recipients of the Award include Julie Andrews, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Glenn Close, Queen Latifah, George Lucas, Mandy Patinkin, Sibylle and Robert Redford, Twyla Tharp, Pauletta and Denzel Washington, Cicely Tyson, and Dick Van Dyke. The Prince Rainier III Award includes a grant of $25,000 to the philanthropic organization of the recipient's choice and a uniquely designed sculpture by artist Alex Soldier. Soldier designed a stunning work of art incorporating symbols representing all three disciplines lauded by the Foundation: theater, dance, and film.

His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco said, "It is my distinct privilege to present the Prince Rainier III Award to James Cameron. He is one of Hollywood's most iconic filmmakers and dedicated philanthropists. His revolutionary work has transformed the film industry and at the same time he has helped explore the deepest parts of the oceans to help advance science and protect our most vital resources. There is no one more fitting to receive this accolade."

PGF-USA is also thrilled to announce the Stephen Hillenburg Animation Award. Karen and Stephen Hillenburg have endowed the Foundation with a gift which will encourage and assist future animators to develop and hone their crafts. Stephen, the creator of "SpongeBob SquarePants," received his Princess Grace Award in 1991 and a Statue Award in 2002. He is the first Princess Grace Award winner to honor the Foundation with the gift of such a scholarship.

PGF-USA Executive Director Toby Boshak said: "We are so grateful to Stephen and Karen for graciously endowing the Foundation with this generous gift, allowing emerging animators to thrive in the same way Stephen did upon receiving his Princess Grace Award. We have enthusiastically watched his career skyrocket, becoming one of the most successful animators in history and creator of one of the most beloved cartoon characters, 'SpongeBob SquarePants.' We couldn't be more pleased to announce this new and exciting award."

In addition, to James Cameron's Prince Rainier III Award, past Princess Grace Award winners, screenwriter Bridget Carpenter and choreographer Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards will receive 2017 Princess Grace Statue Awards for their continuing excellence in their chosen disciplines.

ABOUT JAMES CAMERON

James Cameron is an acclaimed film-maker and explorer. As director, writer and producer he is responsible for some of the most memorable films of the past three decades: THE TERMINATOR, ALIENS, THE ABYSS, TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY, TRUE LIES, TITANIC, and AVATAR.

AVATAR is the highest grossing film in history with over $2.7 billion in global box office, beating the previous record holder, Cameron's own film TITANIC, which held that record for 12 years. Cameron's films have also earned numerous nominations and awards, most notably TITANIC's 14 Academy Award nominations (a record) and 11 Oscars (also a record), including Cameron's own 3 Oscars for Best Picture, Best Direction and Best Editing. Both TITANIC and AVATAR won the Golden Globe for Best Director and Best Picture. AVATAR was nominated for 9 Academy Awards and won 3.

Over the last 17 years Cameron developed cutting edge 3D camera systems for movies and documentaries, as well as for broadcast sports and special events. He was at the vanguard of the 3D renaissance that has transformed the movie industry in recent years. He also developed unprecedented deep ocean exploration vehicles, lighting and 3D camera equipment. Most recently, Cameron led his eighth deep ocean expedition to some of the deepest trenches in the world. On March 26, 2012, he set the world's solo deep diving record of 35,787' in the Challenger Deep in a vehicle of his own design.

Cameron is a National Geographic Explorer in Residence, and recipient of their most prestigious award, the Hubbard Medal, as well as the Explorer's Club medal for Explorer of the Year.

Cameron is also passionately involved in sustainability issues, having founded the Avatar Alliance Foundation to take action on climate change, energy policy, deforestation, indigenous rights, ocean conservation and sustainable agriculture. His production company, Lightstorm Entertainment, installed a 1-megawatt solar array on the roofs of their soundstages at Manhattan Beach Studios, to generate all the power for the Avatar sequels. James and Suzy Amis Cameron, both environmental vegans, founded the Plant Power Taskforce to promote awareness of the impact of animal agriculture on the environment and climate.

He is currently in production on Avatar 2, 3, 4 and 5.

ABOUT STEPHEN HILLENBURG

Stephen Hillenburg is the creator and Executive Producer of the Emmy Award-winning animated "SpongeBob SquarePants" Nickelodeon television series, now in its tenth season, and has written, directed and produced the SpongeBob movies. In 1992, Hillenburg graduated from the California Institute of the Arts with a master's degree in experimental animation. He received a Princess Grace Award for film in 1991 and a Princess Grace Statue Award in 2002. Prior to his career in animation, Hillenburg taught marine biology at the Ocean Institute at Dana Point, California.

ABOUT THE PRINCESS GRACE FOUNDATION – USA

The Princess Grace Foundation-USA is a non-profit, publicly-supported foundation, headquartered in New York City and founded 35 years ago by Prince Rainier III of Monaco to honor his wife, Princess Grace's [Kelly] legacy. The Foundation's mission is dedicated to identifying and assisting emerging talent in theater, dance, and film by awarding grants in the form of scholarships, apprenticeships, and fellowships. Since the Foundation's inception, nearly 800 recipients have been awarded. Some notable Princess Grace Awards recipients in Film include: Emmy Award winner Cary Fukunaga director of "True Detective," Beasts of No Nation and Jane Eyre; Jon M. Chu director of Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, Now You See Me 2 and upcoming Crazy Rich Asians; and Stephen Hillenburg, creator of "SpongeBob SquarePants." Theater recipients include: Tony Award winner for Best Direction of a Play, Anna D. Shapiro; Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning playwright Tony Kushner; and Golden Globe-winning actor Oscar Isaac. Dance/Choreography recipients include: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Artistic Director Robert Battle; American Ballet Theatre's Gillian Murphy and Isabella Boylston and New York City Ballet's Tiler Peck; as well as choreographers Kyle Abraham and Michelle Dorrance.

The Princess Grace Awards Ceremony is produced by Scott Mauro Entertainment, Inc/ Scott H. Mauro, Executive Producer for the 11th year.

For more information about the Princess Grace Awards program, please visit www.pgfusa.org

Media Contact: Lauren Auslander/ LUNA* 310/730-8003 * lauren.auslander@luna-ent.com

SOURCE The Princess Grace Foundation-USA

Related Links

http://www.pgfusa.org

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Congratulations, Stephen! :)

More Nick: Nickelodeon Greenlights "SpongeBob SquarePants" Season 12!
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Special Report | Sneak-Peek | Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie

To celebrate Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie, Craig Bartlett, the creator of Nickelodeon's iconic '90s animated series Hey Arnold!, has shared a brand-new frame from Nickelodeon's upcoming brand-new two-part Hey Arnold! television movie in a post on his official Instagram profile page, @CraigBartlett! Check out Craig's latest super sneak-peek, featuring TV13 doing a special report outside the boarding house, and Helga (probably) thinking of Arnold, below, and let NickALive! know in the comments what you think is happening in the scene!:


So that's the story! #thejunglemovie

Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie takes the kids on the field trip of a lifetime: action packed and full of adventure! They’ll join Arnold on a quest in which he’ll try to achieve his ultimate dream and finally find his missing parents. It all starts when Arnold and his classmates take a trip to San Lorenzo, South America, which, coincidentally, is the last place Arnold’s parents were seen! Their trip takes a turn when pirates kidnap Arnold and his friends! From there it’s one jungle hazard after another, and the gang must put their heads together to get out of danger. As the leader of the journey, Arnold must make sure he and his friends survive safely, all while working towards a reunion he’s dreamt of his whole life!


The two-hour TV movie features a storyline that picks up from where the original series ended in the "The Journal" in 2004 and resolves unanswered questions and plotlines-including Arnold finally getting answers about the whereabouts of his missing parents, Arnold's last name, and how Arnold feels about Helga! The movie is co-written and executive produced by the series’ original creator Craig Bartlett and produced by Nickelodeon in Burbank, Calif.



Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie is slated to premiere on Nickelodeon USA on Thursday 23rd November 2017, as part of the networks Thanksgiving celebrations.

Leading up to the movie, Nickelodeon will host a special panel titled “Hey Arnold!: From Hillwood to the Jungle!” at New York Comic Con 2017 that will feature creator Craig Bartlett and voice actors from the original series, including Lane Toran (Arnold), Francesca Marie Smith (Helga), Anndi McAfee (Phoebe) and Olivia Hack (Rhonda), as well as a exclusive sneak peek at the TV movie. The panel will take place on Friday, October 6th at 12:15 PM in the Hammerstein Ballroom (311 W 34th St).
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