PRESS AND AWARDS
Walt Disney Family Museum Teen Animation Festival International
Best of Show and Best Digital Animation for The Gift of the Woods
“…entertains as well as runs the emotional range and for anyone who has ever loved something so dearly and feared so much of losing it, this short will frighten, tug and melt your heart.”
Jay KayMary & Marsha in the Manor of Madness
“If you’re looking for a three minute cross between Lovecraftian horror, the cart escape from Temple of Doom, and some Scooby-Doo-style wackiness, this is just the thing.”
Ben Pearson
Hollywood Just4Shorts
Winner, Best Screenplay ‘This Dark Thought’
LEGO Jurassic World: A Jarring Encounter
“This short captures everything that is charming and iconic about Lego stop motion animations – quirky, slapstick comedy with unexpected punchlines in a recognizably Lego environment. This is what Lego animation should be.”
David J. Nolan
ScreenCraft Short Screenplay
Semi-Finalist Short Screenplay Competition
“Their quality of animation and ability to write a story that captivates an audience is truly unmatched.”
2017 Toy News 30 Under 30 to Watch in the Toy Industry
Kurtis and Kris Theorin
Mary & Marsha in the Manor of Madness
“This super adorable little short film managed to make a dog transforming into a tentacled eldritch nightmare into something rather cute, which is quite the feat.”
James Whitbrook“Macabre, heartfelt and mysterious, this less than four-minute short tells a very true tale we can all understand.”
Jay KayKris and Kurtis Theorin’s Interview with Big Little Filmmaker
“Doing stop motion animation taught me about set design, lighting, staging, and shot composition. With LEGOs, you’re able to create whatever crazy story you can imagine.”
Montreal International Animation Film Festival – ANIMAZE 2017
Official Selection: Mary & Marsha in the Manor of Madness
Applause!
- Winner Best Animation Irish International Film Festival
- Nominated for Video of the Year and Best Animated Video by Tongal 2017
- Nominated Best PA filmmaker, Best Student Film, Best Animation at the West Chester Film Festival 2017
- Presidential Scholar in the Arts Finalist 2016
- Latino Arts Beat Film Grant Award 2015
- Best Art/Experimental Film West Chester Film Festival
- WHYY Special Achievement in Film Making Award 2015
- Best Student Film Clean Shorts Film Festival 2015
- Best High School Film Holly Shorts 2015
- Best Youth Film FilmQuest 2015
- Best Student Film Maryland International Film Festival 2015
- Winner Jury Award Best High School Film Cinequest 2015
- Best Short Screenplay International Family Film Festival
- Semi-Finalist Shriekfest Film Festival Screenplay Competition
- Quarter Finalist Fresh Voices, Screencraft and Scriptapalooza Screenplay Competitions
- Winner Best Special Effects AAHSFF 2014
- Winner Best Teen Film Silent River Film Festival 2014
- Finalist Young Arts Foundation 2014
- Winners three gold keys, seven silver keys Scholastic Art and Writing Awards 2014
- SAG Short Film Showcase selection 2014
- Winner, Best Animation Fresh Takes Film Festival 2013
- Winner First Glance Philadelphia- Best Student Film 2012
- Winner WHYY Youth Media Awards- 1st, 2nd, 3rd Places, Judges Award (2011,2012,2013, 2014)
- Winner Off Shoot Educational Film Fest- 1st Place Student Animation 2012
- Winner Audience Choice Award National Film Festival for Talented Youth 2013
- Winner Brickfilmer’s Guild Brickfilmer of the year 2012
- Winner two Golden Brick Awards from LEGO 2012
- Nominated for Video of the Year and Best Animated Video by Tongal 2017
- Nominated Best PA filmmaker, Best Student Film, Best Animation at the West Chester Film Festival 2017
- Presidential Scholar in the Arts Finalist 2016
- Latino Arts Beat Film Grant Award 2015
- Best Art/Experimental Film West Chester Film Festival
- WHYY Special Achievement in Film Making Award 2015
- Best Student Film Clean Shorts Film Festival 2015
- Best High School Film Holly Shorts 2015
- Best Youth Film FilmQuest 2015
- Best Student Film Maryland International Film Festival 2015
- Winner Jury Award Best High School Film Cinequest 2015
- Best Short Screenplay International Family Film Festival
- Semi-Finalist Shriekfest Film Festival Screenplay Competition
- Quarter Finalist Fresh Voices, Screencraft and Scriptapalooza Screenplay Competitions
- Winner Best Special Effects AAHSFF 2014
- Winner Best Teen Film Silent River Film Festival 2014
- Finalist Young Arts Foundation 2014
- Winners three gold keys, seven silver keys Scholastic Art and Writing Awards 2014
- SAG Short Film Showcase selection 2014
- Winner, Best Animation Fresh Takes Film Festival 2013
- Winner First Glance Philadelphia- Best Student Film 2012
- Winner WHYY Youth Media Awards- 1st, 2nd, 3rd Places, Judges Award (2011,2012,2013, 2014)
- Winner Off Shoot Educational Film Fest- 1st Place Student Animation 2012
- Winner Audience Choice Award National Film Festival for Talented Youth 2013
- Winner Brickfilmer’s Guild Brickfilmer of the year 2012
- Winner two Golden Brick Awards from LEGO 2012
NEWS
Toys and Tunes: Making Music Videos for Kids Brands
We – humans – love music. And why shouldn’t we? Music is a force multiplier for emotion. There is a reason we remember the trumpet fanfare in Star Wars or the picking of an electric guitar as 007 spins and fires his gun at the camera. This is not just true...
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What Would DC Super Hero Girls Do?
Something’s Awry Productions has created a new series for Warner Bros. DC Super Hero Girls! Each episode is a blend of live action and stop motion animation and showcases school-age girls and the DC Super Heroes facing challenging social situations. The girls ask themselves how their favorite super heroes would handle everything from bullying, to cheering up friends and dealing with rejection. The iconic characters come to the rescue by showing how they would overcome the obstacles in a smart, empathetic, and above all super heroic way!
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You Can Quote Us On That
We’ve all experienced that moment when a line in a movie connects with us in a powerful way. Whether the words are inspiring, heartwarming, frightening, or comical, one thing for certain is that they evoke an emotion that lingers long after the closing credits. I sat...
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Mom Takes The Wheel: 5 Reasons Mothers Belong in the Driver’s Seat
Want to be prepared for a journey? Enlist the help of a mom. In order to avoid slowing down or being stranded, we think five steps ahead and anticipate what will make a trip successful. You’re cold? I’ve got a sweater and a blanket for backup. You’re hungry? No need to stop – grab that container under your seat. In my work world this means double-checking every battery, light, piece of equipment, wardrobe, and script changes prior to a shoot. Actually, I prefer three checks and leaving an hour ahead of schedule.
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Warrior Stories- Creating a Short Film Inspired by Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time
The two groups live in balance on opposite sides of their Yin-Yang world. When a malevolent force from the stars instigates a war between the two sides, a Yintopian girl and a Yangterland boy must team up to save the planet and bring their people together.
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Success Story: StikBots Plus Something’s Awry Production’s Unique Sense of Humor Add Up to Over 20 Million Views
Working with Zing Toys we created eight videos to help introduce five new lines of toys and movie sets last year. Each one was created with tongue firmly in cheek and humor that cleverly juxtapositioned the simplicity of the StikBot toys with the epicness of the story. Techniques like breaking the fourth wall and parody of classic movie tropes…
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At Long Last… Our Scooby-Doo Mystery Cases Series for Warner Bros. is released!
This week marked the release of the first of our 12 episode animated series we created for Warner Bros. Scooby Doo line of toys. Our biggest project to date the series follows the adventures of Scooby and the Gang through the eyes of 15 children and their imaginations. Each story begins in the ‘real’ world and transitions to…
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Success Story: HOT WHEELS Music Video Series
With the growing trend of shareable MTV music-inspired videos online it is only natural that Hot Wheels take the next evolutionary step of music-inspired video content. Something’s Awry Productions was chosen to produce an entertaining Hot Wheels music-focused Episodic Video Series for YouTube that was fun, exciting and shareable.
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The Sundae Grind- 3D Animation is now available from Something’s Awry Productions!
Always wanting to improve our skill set, Kris Theorin our resident Animator, is teaching himself how to do 3D animation! His first completed project creates a whimsical and somehow darkly beautiful ice cream kingdom which features workers toiling away while they build...
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Even More Film Festivals
While we have been busy filming, our resident screenwriter Nik has been equally busy working on short films and stageplays- congrats to him for his recent festival successes!
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Hot Wheels Music Video Series
Hot Wheels and music may not seem like an obvious association at first, but with the growing trend of shareable MTV music-inspired videos online it is only natural that a fun and exciting brand like Hot Wheels take the next evolutionary step of music-inspired video...
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Fall is Film Festival Season!
Fall is film festival season! We are happy to be a part of so many wonderful festivals this year. If you are in Seattle, Chicago, New York, Provo or Hollywood be sure to attend these fine festivals to see our films and so many other fabulous productions!
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The Gift of the Woods Wins Awards from Walt Disney Family Museum
We're happy to announce that Kris' film The Gift of the Woods was chosen as Best of Festival and Best Digital Animation at this year's Teen Animation Film International festival held by Walt Disney's Family Museum. Entries from around the world were judged by...
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Something Awry’s Awards
Here's a little list of the love we've received from the industry. Winner Best of Festival and Best 2D Animation Walt Disney Family Museum Teen Animation Festival 2017 Winner Best Animation CineYouth 2017 Nominated for Video of the Year and Best Animated Video by...
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Success Story: LEGO Yellow Submarine
Working with Tongal, we came up with a storyline that was fun and reminiscent of the movie The Yellow Submarine. Combining stop motion animation and psychedelic 2D elements drawn by Actuality Films gave the visuals a suitably ‘trippy’ feel.
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Success Story: Thumb Drift: Kitchen Counter Showdown
Fast and Furious meets kitchen counter! This trailer was created to promote the introduction of SMG Studios new mobile game Thumb Drift. Live action toy car drifting chase created by Something’s Awry Productions. 2D animation and graphics by SOAP Creative.
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Success Story: Zing Toys: Stikbot Studio Stars – Rise to Fame!
Zing Toys wanted a video introducing their new Stikbot Studio set and app. The challenge was to create a fun shareable video that was entertaining but also outlined the features included in the new app. In addition Zing wanted the video to act as a tutorial on how to use the features of the new app.
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Success Story: LEGO Jurassic Park – A Jarring Encounter
Working with Tongal we came up with an engaging and humorous storyline involving the park rangers and the T-Rex. The video received over 3 million views in just a few days with several major blogs such as i09 picking up and reviewing the film. After a year, the film has over 17 million views online.
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Success Story: Once Upon a Time Creation
Once Upon a Time hired us to create an informational video for them to share on their website and social media. They wanted something that was informative but not boring to watch.
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Premiere of Gumball and Alien Communications
Our two new films premiered this Sunday at Theater N in Wilmington, DE. Thanks so much for coming out and joining us! Also thanks to our special guest artists Emma Cullen, Felicia Maziarz and Liz Krov for sharing their art with us! Here are a few pictures from the...
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YoungArts Master Class week for Kris
Last week Kris headed to Florida as a YoungArts finalist in Cinematic Arts! Chosen as one of five Cinematic Arts students nationwide to attend National YoungArts Week, which takes place in Miami each year, allowing YoungArts Finalists in the visual, literary, design...
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