Nickelodeon And Paramount To Release First "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2" Trailer In December 2015

Whilst attending the Heroes and Villains Fan Fest in San Jose, "Arrow" star Stephen Amell revealed that fans can expect to see the first trailer for Nickelodeon Movies, Paramount Pictures and Platinum Dunes' "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2", in theaters around North America during December 2015!

"If you're a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Fan, then you're going to want to go to the theater in December before a relatively big movie that's being released for a fantastic trailer," said Amell, who will play Casey Jones in the film.

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Half Shell", a sequel to Nick and Paramount's 2014 fun-filled and action-packed blockbuster "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" movie, will feature the Heroes in a Half Shell along with their reporter pal, April O'Neil, played by Megan Fox, saving the city from a dangerous threat. Also returning is Will Farell as Vernon Fenwick, who gets a new love interest in supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio.

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II" will also feature fan favourites Casey Jones along with Bebop and Rocksteady, portrayed by Gary Anthony Williams and pro wrestler Sheamus, Brittany Ishibashi as Karai, Tyler Perry as the evil humanoid fly scientist Baxter Stockman, and Brian Tee as Shredder. Laura Linney and J.J. Redick, along with a number of other players from the Los Angeles Clippers and the New York Knicks, will also appear in "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Half Shell", which will be released in theaters across the USA and in cinemas in the UK on Friday 3rd June 2016.

General Krang, a commanding warlord in Dimension X in the popular "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" comic book series, is also rumoured to be making a appearance in "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II". According to reports, the character will be rendered using CGI.

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2015 HALO Awards Honoree Spotlight: Riley Gantt, "Rainbow Pack"

Riley Gantt, 15, from Sherman Oaks, California is one of the four inspirational recipient's of the 2015 Nickelodeon HALO Awards for his work in the community!

While most 10-year-olds were complaining about homework, Riley realized the importance of these assignments. She also knew that many students took for granted the ability to complete them. During a field trip to one of the elementary schools in her community, Riley had an eye-opening conversation with a girl in kindergarten. Like many other students, this young girl did not have the supplies to complete her homework because her family could not afford them. Inspired by the conversation, Riley founded Rainbow Pack, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing students with materials that will help make them successful learners, regardless of their economic circumstances. Even schools without a great deal of financial support manage to acquire supplies for the classroom. However, the real disadvantage for students occurs at home. Simple tools, like a pencil or a ruler, can be the difference between success and failure. When students are able to complete their homework, they perform better in the classroom and are less likely to drop out of school.

Riley Gantt, at Universal Orlando Resort filming a segment of the 2015 Nickelodeon Halo Awards with Nick Canon premiering November 29, 2015, on November 6, 2015 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images for Nickelodeon)

With funds raised through fundraising, grants, social media and school supply drives, Riley has successfully donated over 9000 backpacks filled with school supplies to kids in the Los Angeles area. In all of the schools where Riley and Rainbow Pack have helped, the teachers attest that almost all of their students complete their homework and are more excited about learning!

Watch Riley Gantt, along with her fellow HALO Awards honorees - Joshua Williams, Miami Beach, Florida, Ethan Cruikshank, 16, Mechanicsville, Virginia, and Ruchita Zaparde, 18, Plainsboro, New Jersey - receive their honors at the must-see concert event of the season, the 2015 HALO Awards, hosted by Nick Cannon, premiering Sunday, November 29th at 7pm (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon USA, TeenNick, Nicktoons, TV Land, CMT, Nick.com and the Nick App! For more information about the 2015 Nickelodeon HALO Awards and Riley's fantastic work, visit nick.com/halo-awards and rainbowpack.org. Congratulations to all Nickelodeon HALO Awards honorees!

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2015 HALO Awards Honoree Spotlight: Joshua Williams, "Joshua's Heart Foundation"

14-year old Miami Beach, Florida resident Joshua Williams is one of the four inspirational recipient's of the 2015 Nickelodeon HALO Awards for his work in the community! Joshua's commitment to eradicate hunger started with a roadside donation to a starving man when he was four and a half years old. Through William's organization, Joshua's Heart Foundation, he designed a food distribution system in local churches, schools and community centers, and continues to raise awareness of hunger and poverty at speaking engagements.

"We have food drives and we have food distributions where we help people in our community," Williams said. His foundation has over 6,000 youth volunteers and has distributed over 1.1 million pounds of food in South Florida, Jamaica and Africa to date, and helped feed over 50,000 people nationwide.

Like the three other honorees, Williams found out that he was selected for the HALO Awards by a drone which delivered the message. "I was just skateboarding in the park and all of a sudden this drone came down and surprised me," he said.

Universal Orlando Resort will also be featured as part of the 2015 Nickelodeon HALO Awards for the first time in the history of Nickelodeon's community service recognition special.

A portion of the 2015 Nickelodeon HALO Awards filmed at Universal Orlando Resort Nov. 7, including appearances by Nick Cannon and a performance by alternative rock band Walk The Moon. The show will air Nov. 29, at 7 p.m. across Nickelodeon, TeenNick, Nicktoons, TV Land, CMT, Nick.com and the Nick App.

The show and organization honors teenagers that are making a difference in their communities. The HALO Awards, which is an acronym for "Helping And Leading Others," airs Sunday at 7 p.m. across Nickelodeon USA, TeenNick, Nicktoons, TV Land, CMT, Nick.com and the Nick App.

"There's no feat too big or too small when you think about actually helping your community," said host, creator and executive producer Nick Cannon. "All of these amazing honorees that we have with us right now come from different walks of life and actually have their own mission and their own passion and that's the beauty of HALO."

The Universal Orlando segment of the show was recorded on Saturday 7th November 2015 and featured a performance from alternative rock band Walk the Moon.

"One of the greatest things that has come from this amazing couple of years for us is that we found we have a really incredible fan base with young kids and families," lead singer Nicholas Petricca said. "Having a positive message and having a positive impact is important to us, in addition to just playing music for fun."

The 2015 HALO Awards will also feature performances by Fifth Harmony, DNCE with lead singer Joe Jonas, Flo Rida and Tori Kelly. Justin Bieber will be presented the first-ever HALO Hall of Fame Award for his work with Make-A-Wish foundation. Those segments were recorded at New York's Pier 36 on Saturday 14th November 2015.

In addition to the surprise concert by Walk the Moon, the four honorees had time to enjoy Universal Orlando Resort.

It was Williams' first visit.

"We rode some roller coasters, met Optimus Prime and saw a parade," he said. "It was a really good time."

Watch Joshua Williams, along with his fellow HALO Awards honorees - Ethan Cruikshank, 16, Mechanicsville, Virginia, Riley Gantt, 15, Sherman Oaks, California, and Ruchita Zaparde, 18, Plainsboro, New Jersey - receive their honors at the must-see concert event of the season, the 2015 HALO Awards, hosted by Nick Cannon, premiering Sunday, November 29th at 7pm (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon USA, TeenNick, Nicktoons, TV Land, CMT, Nick.com and the Nick App! For more information about the 2015 Nickelodeon HALO Awards and Joshua's work, visit nick.com/halo-awards and joshuasheart.org. Congratulations to all Nickelodeon HALO Awards honorees!

You can watch a exclusive interview with Nick Cannon and the honorees of the 2015 Nickelodeon HALO Awards at Universal Orlando Resort here on OrlandoSentinel.com!

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Calabash And Nickelodeon Creative Advertising Deliver New "On The Run" Kid Cuisine Ad

Official Calabash Press Release via Animation World Network:

Calabash Delivers New Kid Cuisine Ad

Entertaining new spot for popular kids meals features updated brand character K.C. Penguin and 'Hotel Transylvania 2' tie-in.

CHICAGO, IL -- K.C. Penguin, the brand icon for KidCuisine kids meals, just can't seem to get away. That's the premise behind the new spot "On The Run," featuring 3D animation by Calabash via agency Nickelodeon Creative Advertising, New York. The new spot, directed by Matt and Jason Docter (aka The Docter Twins) and edited by Glenn Conte of Northern Lights, New York, features a clever tie-in to the new animated feature film starring Adam Sandler, as well as a revamped animated K.C. Penguin character.

"We were excited to work with Nickelodeon Creative Advertising on this well-established brand and character," commented Sean Henry, Calabash's Executive Producer. "It is always a fun challenge to update an existing character. Our goal was to freshen up K.C.'s look without straying too far from the existing design. It was important that he remain recognizable and retain his personality and attitude."

"On The Run" opens with a comically terrified K.C. Penguin running down a hall holding a Kid Cuisine meal in each hand and shouting, "they're coming!" The 'they' of course is the cast of Hotel Transylvania 2. Thinking he's safe behind a closed door, K.C. is immediately confronted by something even scarier, hungry kids who love the character-shaped chicken nuggets and mac n' cheese found in special Hotel Transylvania 2 Kid Cuisine meals. The spot ends with kids gone and K.C. sneaking up to the table to deliver his new signature line, "Fun tastes goo-oo-oo-oo-ood!."

"K.C. Penguin is an iconic character, but the creatives wanted to take him to the next level," Wayne Brejcha, Calabash's Creative Director notes. "We gave him a more physical appearance and made his faux-hawk haircut look a bit more feathery. Ironically it takes huge effort, thought, experience and long hours to make KC fit in the setting and feel effortless in his animation."

For Northern Lights editor Glenn Conte the creative challenge was taking all of the various elements (Calabash's 3D animation, the live action shots and footage from the actual film) and making it all work together seamlessly. A task, he notes, was made easier thanks to Calabash's understanding of the K.C. character.

"To be able to work with a company like Calabash is great for an editor because they know how take an animated character to a whole other level and fully grasp its essence, its DNA," Conte says. "Besides the look, they added to his personality in a way that elevated the entire project. A spot like this takes a lot of teamwork, and working with Calabash was a pleasure."

Henry adds, "Directors Matt and Jason Docter did a terrific job with the live action, capturing dramatic angles and lighting, and a sense of drama while still keeping it light for the intended family audience. Nickelodeon Creative is an agency that understands the animation process innately. They gave us clear communication about their own ideas, but were also open to ideas and approaches from us."



Source: Calabash

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Play Fair, A Celebration Of Play And Entertainment For All Ages, To Unite Play Lovers, Toys & Pop Culture Fans

Original Moody Gardens Press Release via PR Newswire:

PLAY FAIR - "A Celebration of Play & Entertainment for All Ages" - to Unite Play Lovers, Toys & Pop Culture Fans

Toy Industry Association & LeftField Media Team Up to Produce Inaugural Event

February 13-14, 2016 | New York City

NEW YORK, Sept. 21, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Play Fair – "a celebration of play and entertainment for all ages" – will bring new and beloved toy and pop culture brands together under one roof this February for an interactive and fun-filled live event open to families, collectors, and media. Powered by the Toy Industry Association (TIA) and LeftField Media, Play Fair will take place Saturday, February 13 and Sunday, February 14 at New York City's Javits Center North.

At the heart of Play Fair will be immersive, rewarding experiences, allowing the public to touch, feel, and interact with their favorite toys, games, and entertainment brands. Fans – from kids to adults – will experience toy reveals, photo ops, character interactions, stage performances, author readings, celebrity signings, live music, and giveaways. Retail areas will allow attendees to purchase show exclusives, limited edition products, and rare variants of beloved toys and games.

The inaugural Play Fair is timed and co-located with the 113th edition of TIA's North American International Toy Fair, the largest toy trade show in the Western Hemisphere and a massive marketplace welcoming 30,000 manufacturers, distributors, importers, and sales agents from over 90 countries to New York City.

"Play Fair will provide toy lovers of all ages with unique and unparalleled access to enriching immersive events and experiences built around the power of play," said Marian Bossard, Toy Industry Association SVP of Global Market Events. "It's a truly one-of-a-kind event for families and fans to explore nostalgic and innovative toys and brands in an all-ages atmosphere that can't be beat!"

"We're humbled and thrilled to work together with TIA on Play Fair," said Greg Topalian, President of LeftField Media. "For more than a century, TIA has gathered the professional side of the toy world together at Toy Fair, and now families, fans, and collectors will finally get to experience this excitement inside their own event. Play Fair will be a space to create fun, engaging, and rewarding connections between brands, their current fans, and the fans of tomorrow – and get a glimpse at new toys before anyone else on the planet!"

Play Fair will be headquartered inside New York's Javits Center and will turn all of Manhattan into a giant "game board," encouraging attendees to visit various iconic New York institutions and landmarks to make the most of their time in the city and unlock Play Fair discounts, exclusives, and rewards.

"Our launch of Play Fair couldn't come at a better time, as we're seeing a growing number of studies and reports that underscore play's crucial developmental benefits to children, and its impact on the happiness and well-being of adults," added Steve Pasierb, TIA President & CEO. "We look forward to welcoming families from far and wide for a spectacular event filled with magical moments and playful experiences that they will be re-living and talking about long after they leave the show."

Play Fair is launching as part of a new partnership between the Toy Industry Association and LeftField Media. The LEGO Group and Nickelodeon have been confirmed as presenting sponsors.

For more information about the show, please visit www.playfairny.com and follow Play Fair on Twitter (@playfairny) and Facebook (www.Facebook.com/playfairny).

About the Toy Industry Association (TIA)
TIA is the not-for-profit trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. TIA is the owner and operator of the North American International Toy Fair, held annually in New York City. Toy safety is the number one priority for the toy industry. TIA has a long history of leadership in toy safety, having helped develop the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 30 years ago. TIA continues to work with government, consumers and industry on ongoing programs to ensure safe and fun play. For more information, please visit www.toyassociation.org, www.toyfairny.com, or www.thegeniusofplay.org.

About LeftField Media, LLC
LeftField Media, LLC is an events company focused on developing face-to-face events in a range of communities rooted in contemporary culture and shared passion. LeftField Media was formed in partnership in 2014 by Greg Topalian (President, LeftField Media), Britton Jones (President & CEO of Business Journals, Inc.), Mac Brighton (Chairman & COO of Business Journals Inc.), and Sharon Enright (Executive Vice President of Business Journals Inc.). While LeftField Media is a new company, its founders have over 100 years of combined experience in media and event production. With a keen sense of the ever-evolving needs of the industry as well as the new opportunities created by change, LeftField Media takes a clean slate approach to the business. Innovation and launching new events has the been the cornerstone of the notable success of the Business Journal Fashion Group as it has been through Greg Topalian's storied career as former Senior Vice President at Reed Exhibitions and founder of New York Comic Con. LeftField Media is headquartered in historic South Norwalk, CT. Visit www.leftfieldmedia.com to learn more.

SOURCE Toy Industry Association

RELATED LINKS
http://www.playfairny.com

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