User:MinionsFan1998/Gingo Animation

Gingo Animation
Formerly	Gingo Productions (1988–92)
Company type	Division
Industry	Film; Television
Predecessor	Geo-Wildshill Productions
Founded	February 13, 1988; 36 years ago
Founder	Geo G.; Michael Wildshill;
Headquarters	North Hollywood, California, United States
Key people	Geo G. (CEO); Clive Nakayashiki (president); Athena Christaniakis (vice president); Scott Setterberg (head of production);
Products	TV shows; Theatrical feature films; Specials; Direct-to-video projects; TV movies; Theatrical short films; Commercials
Number of employees	100
Parent	Independent (1988–98); Universal Studios (1998–2005); Gingo Entertainment (2005–present)
Divisions	Gingo Online
Website	Official website

Gingo Animation, LLC (or simply Gingo) is an American animation studio headquartered in North Hollywood, California. Founded by former Hanna-Barbera animators Geo G. and Michael Wildshill on February 13, 1988, the studio is operated as a subsidiary of Gingo Entertainment, and is best known for producing animated television series, feature films, shorts, and video games such as Gabriel Garza, Hatty, BJ and Wally, Niz Chicoloco, Chrysocolla, Jenny Zoom, Fighting Royale, Planetokio, Critter Mockers, The Pandemoniums, Zina and the Vivid Crew, Metro Cone, Archot, Imagimals, Cool Spot, and Addie. Its first film Paint World was released on December 25, 1999, and its latest release was Addie on March 1, 2019 with their next release being Agent Chrysocolla on February 28, 2020.

Gingo was bought by Universal Studios in 1998 following the merger of the studio's feature animation unit with Universal Feature Animation two years prior. On February 21, 2005, Gingo was spun off from Universal, allowing the latter to retain the rights to most of the studio's pre-2005 library. The studio is still associated with Universal, but also has other studios such as DreamWorks, 20th Century Fox and Sony Pictures distribute some of its productions. Gabriel Garza, the main character of the studio's animated television series of the same name, is the studio's mascot. As of 2019, Gingo continues to use its back catalogue under license from Universal Studios.

History

Early years (1982–1998)

Gingo's predecessor Geo G. Productions was founded in 1982 as a division of Hanna-Barbera by animators Geo G. and Michael Wildshill, who wanted to realize their dream of producing an animated feature-length film.^[4] On February 13, 1988, after leaving Hanna-Barbera due to financial reasons, Geo and Wildshill opened their own studio named Gingo Productions, which would develop characters, stories and productions, and some of the animators who worked for Geo and Wildshill at Hanna-Barbera came to the studio at the time.^[1] In 1989, Gingo announced a joint venture with motion picture studio Orion Pictures to form Orion Animation, an animation division which would produce animated projects for Orion.^[5] Orion Animation was closed in 1993.^{[citation needed]} The same year, the studio produced its first short film, The Special Visitor.^[4]

Gingo had produced a Saturday morning animated television series titled Gabriel Garza, which ran on CBS from 1991 to 1993 and on the syndicated Gingo Lineup block from 1996 to 2002, in conjunction with Universal Cartoon Studios.^[4] Its title character, which is based on the boy from Gingo's short film The Special Visitor, has been the studio's mascot since his introduction in 1991. CBS expressed a strong desire in 1992 for Gingo to create a new series, and the studio began conceiving Hatty during this period; that same year, Gingo changed its name to Gingo Animation, LLC and produced its second animated series Mickey the Wicked for Warner Bros. Animation, which began airing on CBS from 1992 to 1994.^[4] The following year, Gingo created a division named Glass Ball Productions, which typically produces animated films and television shows targeted to young adult audiences.^[4] Meanwhile, some of the Gingo staff got a call from Universal Studios to form an in-house feature animation department.^[6] Co-founder Michael Wildshill and his colleagues left to develop animated feature films there.^[7]

Gingo Feature Animation, which was set up at a separate building apart from the main Gingo studio in North Hollywood, was the studio's feature animation division which produced its first two films Romeo and Juliet (1994) and Ghost Vision (1995) for Universal Pictures.^[8] Spun off from the feature division of Hanna-Barbera Productions, Gingo Feature Animation was shut down in 1996 when it was being merged into Universal Feature Animation.^[4] However, after Gingo Feature Animation merged into Universal Feature Animation, Gingo began producing feature films fully in-house at its main North Hollywood headquarters, starting with Paint World in 1999.^[4]

In 1994, Gingo Interactive Software LLC, the studio's in-house video game development department, was founded,^[9] the first project of which was the video game adaptation of Gabriel Garza, and later developed the Niz Chicoloco, Chrysocolla and Fighting Royale games.^[4] On March 12, 1996, Gingo began collaborating with Universal on the syndicated Gingo Lineup block, which began on August 31, 1996.^[10] In May 1996, Universal and Gingo announced they were to co-finance and distribute Paint World, which had been in pre-production for a year.^[11] At this time Universal purchased a 40% share of Gingo.^[4] Three months later, the studio's third animated series Hatty aired on the syndicated Gingo Lineup block, and ran until 2002.

To expand the studio's online content presence, Gingo Animation launched their own official Gingo.com website in 1996. The website gathers its core animation properties in a single online environment that is interactive and customizable for site visitors. It offers both originally produced content along with press releases, games, free wallpapers, desktop backgrounds, and screensavers. Some of the characters to be used in the project from the Gingo libraries include those of Gabriel Garza and Hatty.^[4] In 1997, Gingo formed Northwood Interactive, a video game publisher that releases Japanese video games outside Japan; the first project of which was Fantasy Tap for the PlayStation, but the company's most successful title is Planetokio in 1999.^{[citation needed]}

Universal ownership (1998–2004)

Logo for the Universal/Gingo merger

On March 21, 1998, Seagram, at the time the parent of Universal Studios, agreed to purchase Gingo Animation in a deal worth $2.1 billion, strengthening the relationship between Universal and Gingo.^[12] Upon announcement of the news, CNN reported that the deal "gives Universal immediate access to the family-friendly audience in animation and multimedia entertainment". Former Gingo co-founder and Universal Feature Animation CEO Michael Wildshill would oversee both Gingo and UFA following the completion of the merger, which reunited Gingo founder Geo G., while Universal animation president John Cohen would lead the feature animation divisions of Universal and Gingo for the entire Universal group.^[13] The deal does not include TeenV, an adult animated sitcom produced under Gingo's Glass Ball Productions label, which was retained by 20th Century Fox, who opted to retain said series within its adult animation lineup alongside The Simpsons and King of the Hill.^[12]^[14] Fox continues to finance, distribute, own and have final creative control of the rights of TeenV.^[4]

The acquisition was completed on June 3, 1998.^[4]^[15] Gingo was renamed Universal/Gingo Animation and continued to operate as a stand-alone business unit. With Gingo Feature Animation already merged into Universal Feature Animation in 1996, Gingo's syndicated Lineup block was under the Universal Television umbrella, while its video game subsidiaries Gingo Interactive and Northwood Interactive (under the Gingo Interactive Group) were reorganized into Universal Interactive Studios.^[15] Although Gingo was under the Universal Feature Animation studio, Gingo remained as a separate entity within Universal.^[4] Animators at Gingo worked on projects based at the Gingo studio, but also assisted in UFA projects based in the Universal City UFA studio.

From October 21, 1999 to January 31, 2000, Gingo produced four three-minute CGI short films to promote the North American release of the video game Planetokio, entitled Bot Fight, Race, Clones and Iken's Lunch; they were originally available for viewing on the North American Planetokio website.^[4] On December 25, 1999, Paint World was released by Universal Pictures to great critical and financial success.^[16] The film was solely produced by Gingo and was originally not intended to be a part of the Universal Animated Features canon. However, Universal later revealed that Paint World would be part of the canon, where it was released under the Universal Feature Animation label.^[8]

In 2001, Gingo partnered with Venice-based visual effects company Blur Studio to provide animation for computer-animated feature films, beginning with Metro Cone, Gingo's first computer-animated feature.^[17] For then, the studio had the traditional animators working for their main hand-drawn animation department, and the computer animators worked on CG productions.^[18] In 2002, The Gabriel Garza Movie, a feature-length film based on the Gabriel Garza series, was released, while Glass Ball released The TeenV Movie (distributed by 20th Century Fox) the following year. In 2004, Gingo released Zina and the Vivid Crew, distributed by Universal, and was a modest box office success, grossing over $293 million worldwide.^[19]

Split from Universal (2005–present)

In January 2005, Gingo announced its split from Universal due to new opportunities as well as more offerings if the company goes independent.^[20] By February 21, 2005, Gingo was split from Universal, and effectively reversed the Universal/Gingo merger of 1998.^[21]^[7] Universal currently retains the rights for the pre-2005 Gingo library as well as retaining the right of first refusal to distribute sequels to pre-2005 films; as of 2018, most of the pre-2005 library is now owned by Universal Animation Studios under Michael Wildshill's watch.^[4] Geo G. took full control of the studio following the split, while Wildshill had declined to oversee Gingo and remained on board as a consultant.^[7] In addition, Gingo Animation was transferred into a new entertainment company called Gingo Entertainment Media, LLC, headed by its president Clive Nakayashiki.^[21]^[22]^[4] Its divisions Glass Ball Productions and Gingo Interactive, with the latter being formerly under the Universal Interactive umbrella, were integrated under Gingo Entertainment.

In March 2005, Gingo Entertainment signed^[23]^[24] and in 2008^[25] renewed a five-year distribution deal with 20th Century Fox, in which it will market, co-finance, and distribute films from the company's Gingo Animation and Glass Ball Productions labels. Metro Cone, which was originally set to be distributed by Universal before the split, was the first film released under the new agreement. In January 2006, Gingo and Blur Studio extended the deal for an additional five films.^[26] With Blur doing computer animation, they covered all two major styles, besides traditional animation. This partnership had Gingo participating in the production of computer-animated films in Venice, and also had Blur participating in some of the hand-drawn films made in North Hollywood.^[4] In April 2006, Gingo launched their official YouTube channel.^[4] Gingo's partnership with Blur Studio ended after the release of Workers, having Blur animated three out of five computer animated films.^[27] The announcement was made before the film's release, on August 26, 2013, citing "creative differences".^[28] Gingo then replaced Blur with Creative Step Studio, the studio's in-house computer animation department that would produce CGI-animated films on their own starting with Metro Cone Forever in 2015.

In October 2014, just a month before the release of Disney's Big Hero 6, Gingo entered a licensing agreement with The Walt Disney Company to use the Hiro Hamada character and trademark for Universal's Gingo productions (such as films, television series, shorts, specials, video games, etc.), which sparked media speculation that Hiro will guest star in Gingo's animated comedy sketch series GGTV.^[29] Gingo's CEO and founder Geo G. stated that the reasoning was due to wanting to have Hiro in Gingo media because of the increasing popularity of "Liro", an internet crossover fan-fiction relationship between Hiro and Leno Garza, a character from Gingo's Gabriel Garza franchise, as they both share the similar appearance and characteristics.^[29] Gingo stated in July 2017 that they intend to keep the Hiro Hamada character license from Disney until the contract expires in 2027.^[30] In December 2015, the rights to the Metro Cone franchise as well as 10 Feet and Workers which were owned by 20th Century Fox reverted back to Gingo due to Fox's contract of retaining rights to Fox/Gingo films expiring.^[31]

Name

Gingo Animation is named after Gingo biloba (later Ginkgo biloba), a poem written by the German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.^[4] The poem was published in his work West-östlicher Diwan (West-Eastern Divan), first published in 1819. Goethe used "Gingo" instead of "Ginkgo" in the first version to avoid the hard sound of the letter "k".

The studio is also named after the identically named Ginkgo biloba, the only living species in the division Ginkgophyta, all others being extinct. It is found in fossils dating back 270 million years. Native to China, the tree is widely cultivated and was introduced early to human history. It has various uses in traditional medicine and as a source of food. The genus name Ginkgo is regarded as a misspelling of the Japanese gin kyo, "silver apricot". However, "gingo" is more commonly translated as "passed" from Swedish.

The name of the studio was originally going to be "StarActive Studios", but founders Geo and Wildshill wanted to come up with "something funny" and said to be intended to describe the non-linear editing systems and video compression the studio was specializing on.^[32] They afterwards decided to go with Gingo Animation Studios, most commonly known today as Gingo Animation. However, Geo has claimed that the name was a result of being a pun on "bingo but with a G instead of a B".^[32]

Related media and projects

The Gingo Lineup

The Gingo Lineup was a created-for-syndication two-hour animated television programming block produced by Gingo in association with Universal Television Animation with distribution through their syndication affiliate Universal Television, debuted on August 31, 1996. The syndicated Gingo Lineup block was relaunched as the Gingo Channel on May 28, 2005. The 22 cable channels and blocks using the Gingo Lineup brand around the world were relaunched under the Gingo Channel brand over the next four years, concluding with the rebranding of the Polish channel in February 2009.

Gingo Channel

The Gingo Channel (commonly referred to as just Gingo) is an American pay television channel that is operated by the Gingo Channel Group LLC, a limited liability joint venture between Gingo Entertainment, the former owners of the Gingo Lineup, and Comcast, whose NBCUniversal subsidiary is the parent company of Universal Studios. Aimed mainly at children and young teenagers between the ages of 6 to 15, its programming consists of original first-run television series, theatrically-released and home media-exclusive movies and select other third-party programming. The development of the Gingo Channel began on August 21, 2004, when Universal Television announced the launch of the channel as a pay television service, which would compete with other subscription channels such as Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and Disney Channel. The announcement also called for the 22 existing programming blocks and pay channels outside of the United States bearing the Gingo Lineup name being rebranded as Gingo Channel.^[33] As of January 2016, Gingo is available to 74.3 million households in America.^[34]

Gingo.com

Gingo.com is Gingo's main website, which launched in 1996 as a component of America Online's Kids Only channel before eventually moving to the full World Wide Web.^[4] It provides content, as well as video clips and full episodes of Gingo series available for streaming.

GingoDirect

Mobile apps

Gingo released a free mobile app for smartphones and tablet computers operating on the Apple and Android platforms in December 2012.^[35] Like Gingo.com, a TV Everywhere login code provided by participating subscription providers is required to view individual episodes of the Gingo network's series.

Glass Ball Productions

Glass Ball Productions is the adult production studio division that produces adult-oriented animated feature films and television series and provides original program to the Gingo network's late-night program NightHouse, that is located in Burbank, California, along with the main headquarters of the Gingo animation studio.

Northwood Entertainment

Orion Animation

Orion Animation was a animation production company that was a joint venture between Orion Pictures and Gingo Productions. It was established in 1989 to produce animated projects for Orion. It only made two films, including The Three Princes and Their Beasts (1991) and A Crocodile's Story (1993), both of which were released by Orion Pictures. After releasing A Crocodile's Story, the studio closed in 1993.

Gingo Feature Animation

Gingo Feature Animation was the studio's feature animation division. It was established in 1991 following the success of Disney animated films. After releasing its only two feature films Romeo and Juliet (1994) and Ghost Vision (1995) (all distributed by Universal Pictures), the studio closed in 1996 due to both of its films performing below expectations and was folded into Universal Feature Animation, now known as Universal Animation Studios.

Gingo Interactive

Gingo Interactive Software LLC (or simply Gingo Interactive) is the studio's in-house video game department. Founded in 1994, the studio is best known for developing the Niz Chicoloco, Chrysocolla and Fighting Royale games, as well as games based on its parent company's Gabriel Garza and Hatty franchises.

Northwood Interactive

Creative Step Studio

Gingo Magazine

Gingo Magazine was a print magazine that was launched in 1994. It incorporated informative non-fiction pieces, humor (including pranks and parodical pieces), interviews, recipes, and a comic book section in the center of each issue featuring original comics by leading underground cartoonists as well as strips about popular Gingo and non-Gingo properties.

Gingo Productions

Gingo Productions is the Gingo network's distribution arm. It distributes the shows, pilots, and movies through various international Gingo channels since 1996.

Gingo Branding

Gingo Branding is the studio's global licensing and merchandising arm established in 2003. It distributes merchandises of various Gingo brands such as Gabriel Garza, Niz Chicoloco, Imagimals, Cool Spot, Addie, and more.

Video games

Since 2002, Gingo characters were featured in a four-player mascot brawler fighting game series similar to Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. video game series called Fighting Royale. Several video games based on the cartoon series The Pandemoniums were released by Gingo as well. The Gingo website also features various flash games incorporating characters from various Gingo franchises.

Experiences

Theme park areas

All except three Gingo-themed theme park areas now closed:

Current attractions

Gingo Animation's Fusion Zone is an area inside of Movie Park Germany featuring Gingo-themed rides, including a Metro Cone-themed dark ride, and a Planetokio-themed kite flyer. This area is currently being expanded to fill space formerly occupied with rides based on Warner Bros. characters.
Gingo Animation opened in August 2016 at IMG Worlds of Adventure as one of the four "epic zones". This zone contains the world's largest Gingo-themed store.
Gingo's Land of Animation is a themed area at the Universal Studios Florida theme park in Orlando, Florida. It is based on the works of Gingo Animation, including Gabriel Garza and Imagimals. The land consists of 13 acres (4.9 ha) and features a different attraction line-up. Construction on the land began on March 14, 2016, and officially opened on July 6, 2018.

Closed areas

Gingo Palace was a short-lived area at Dreamworld in Australia. It was closed later on and was rebranded as Nickelodeon Central, which was also rethemed it to the generic Kid's World theme (it was later revealed that the park had struck a deal with DreamWorks Animation).
Gingoland was an area inside Busch Gardens Williamsburg that was opened on September 14, 2002. In 2008, Busch Gardens Williamsburg closed Gingoland to make way for Sesame Street Forest of Fun.

Hotel brands

Coming soon!

Cruises