September 20, 2012

Welcome To Cartoon Lagoon:


Longtime Agency Creative Directors Pat Giles and Manny Galán Return To Animation Roots With The Launch Of Cartoon Lagoon Studios

 

First Project Is Original Series "Captain Cornelius' Cartoon's Cartoon Lagoon" Available This Fall On DVD

NEW YORK, NY - Longtime Saatchi & Saatchi creative directors Pat Giles and Manny Galán have returned to their animated roots in a big way with the launch of Cartoon Lagoon Studios. The studio's first release is "Captain Cornelius Cartoon's Cartoon Lagoon," coming to DVD this November.

Part puppetry, part animation, this distinctive show promises to plumb the depths of "Cartoon Lagoon" as characters Wet Willy Jones and Axel Rodd McGee go on an undersea quest aboard the Manta Ray, a cartoon-retrieving vessel commanded by Captain Cornelius C. Cartoon, in a search of the best and the worst cartoons ever made. The show was created by Galán and co-produced with Giles.

The official trailer for "Captain Cornelius Cartoon's Cartoon Lagoon" is available here: http://cartoonlagoonstudios.com. The series will have its premiere screening at New York Comic-Con (#NYCC) in October 2012.

Melting Pot of Pop Culture:
A portion of the show clearly pays homage to "MSTK3000" as the crew searches for the best and the worst cartoons ever made, and make fun of them as they screen them. But it is also much more. Each DVD also features "Captain Cartoon's All Star Revue" - a line-up of new and classic cartoons, musical guests, and interviews with leading animators, original skits and commercial parodies.

"We constructed these segments to help this show feel like it exists in an alternate reality -- like it's from a TV Universe other than our own," Galán says. "It's a Saturday morning or Friday night animation lineup that never existed on TV."

According to Galán, "Captain Cornelius Cartoon's Cartoon Lagoon" is a big melting pot of pop culture commentary and a nostalgic reflection on animation days gone by.

"The spirit of the show harkens back to a time when kids would wake up before their parents on a Saturday morning with a big bowl of cereal and watch cartoons because that was the only time they were on," Galán adds. "This is our attempt to recreate what ephemeral appointment television felt like, only put it on ever-ready DVD and digital media."

Animated Bios:
Galán and Giles know their cereal and their cartoons. They have been in the kids pop culture business for years, most recently as agency creative directors at Saatchi & Saatchi, New York creating ads for General Mills' cereals, such as Lucky Charms, Trix, Cocoa Puffs and Honey Nut Cheerios.

Beyond that the duo have a long pedigree in anmation. Giles was the art director for Disney's "Stanley" series, and worked on 6 other TV shows, including "Doug," and MTV's "Daria."

Galán worked at Marvel, DC Comics and Archie Comics, before joining Nickelodeon, first in their Consumer Products division, and later in the On Air department where he wrote and directed hundreds of shorts, including the legendary "NIckmas" series, "Captain Nick," and "How Angelica Stole Christmas." Galán's toy line "Dookie-Poo" is an award-winning collection of designer vinyls and plush. They also co-own two small comic book publishing companies, featuring the indie-hit "Monkeysuit" series, and "Combination Platter" collections.

But Cartoon Lagoon is the culmination of years of hard work -- half of which was spent in Manny's basement.

"Manny started building a submarine in his basement, about two years ago. He would mention it now and again, you know, this goofy thing," Giles says. "Next thing I know this stunning miniature submarine stage appears. It was amazing."

The show features some noteworthy talent, including legendary voice actor Chris Phillips as 'The Captain'; director Euralis Weekes; and head writer Steve Borst (Robot Chicken, MAD).

"We had a great time making this and we're thankful that so many talented folks were interested in helping us create this modern day tribute to the things we hold so dear," Galán says.






About Cartoon Lagoon:
Join Wet Willy Jones and Axel Rodd McGee on their undersea quest aboard the MANTA RAY, a cartoon-retrieving vessel commanded by Captain Cornelius Cartoon. This brand new animated/puppet show adventure available on DVD in Fall 2012, plumbs the depths of Cartoon Lagoon in search of the best and the worst cartoons ever made. Check out our blog at www.cartoonlagoonshow.blogspot.com

Created By Manny Galán, Produced by Pat Giles and Manny Galán, Directed by Euralis Weekes, Director of Photography, Joshua Meyers, Starring Chris Phillips as the voice of "Captain Cornelius C. Cartoon," featuring the puppeteers Michael Schupbach, Noel MacNeal and Frankie Cordero, with puppets designed by Julia Rosner. Written by Manny Galán and Steve Borst, Recorded at Super Exploder, Trailer Scored by Jeff Elmassian and Endless Noise, Produced by Cartoon Lagoon Studios, Filmed in Lagoonimation!


Web Resources:
http://cartoonlagoonstudios.com
http://cartoonlagoonshow.blogspot.com

September 12, 2012

BIGSMACK Adds Matt Hall As Creative Director


Creative Strategist Joins Award Winning Entertainment Agency Following Work With

NBC Sports, Discovery Networks and Microsoft


NEW YORK, NY - Building on their reputation as a leading creative force in the entertainment marketing community, BIGSMACK has added Matt Hall as Creative Director. Hall, who most recently worked on projects for NBC Sports, Discovery Networks and Microsoft, joins a staff led by Chief Creative Andy Hann and Head of Marketing Andrew Kobliska.

Hall joins a BIGSMACK that is in the midst of a creative boom year for the agency hybrid. In addition to winning 10 awards (5 gold) at the recent PromaxBDA Conference held in Los Angeles, the company has been busy on a series of high-level projects for Ogilvy Entertainment, A&E, Nat Geo and comprehensive image campaign for New Jersey's Kean University.

"Matt is the perfect addition to our team,'' Hann says. ''We've worked with him in the past on projects for OWN and A&E and have always been impressed with his writing and his conceptual thinking. BIGSMACK has evolved greatly over the years to the point where some of the largest entertainment brands in the world are turning to us to help guide them through today's complex media landscape with strategic creative, as well as our ability to deliver full service production and post. Having someone like Matt on our team helps BIGSMACK continue our creative evolution."

Joining BIGSMACK represents a reunion of sorts for Hall and Hann, who worked together at Concrete Pictures, Los Angeles, from 2004-2007. Prior to that Hall was a Creative Director at the design/visual effects house3 Ring Circus, Los Angeles. Since 2007 Hall has been working as freelance creative director/designer for clients ranging from NBC Sports, where he developed logos for their Epic Cycle, College Hockey and College Football franchises; and Discovery Networks where he worked on promos for their Animal Planet, TLC, and Discovery channels. He's also freelanced at BIGSMACK, working on projects for A&E, OWN and Discovery.

"I've known Andy for a long-time and I know how he thinks and what he expects - in a way we share a creative shorthand in which we know instinctively where we're going with a particular idea or execution," Hall says. "That kind of familiarity with each others' style and sensibility really helps, especially when time is of the essence, which is the case with so much of BIGSMACK's work. I'm looking forward to working again with Andy, Andrew and the entire BIGSMACK team and contributing to what they're building: the top creative agency in the entertainment space." 

BIGSMACK ...
We are an award-winning entertainment marketing agency filled with writers, directors, producers, editors, designers, animators, strategists, audio engineers and musicians.

We are more than 120 strong, occupying a ton of creative and production space in New York City and Philadelphia.

We are all about creating commercials, promos, print, interactive, design and animation, full-blown productions, show launches, network launches and rebrands, show opens, main titles, marketing strategies and upfronts.

We sport the latest technology in our 15 AVID/Final Cut bays, four audio finishing and recording suites and eight Smoke/Inferno/Lustre workstations.

We are partners with ad agencies, studios, networks, cable channels, sports leagues, Internet companies and advertisers direct.